Parliament House, CBD connected by walkway in $70m vision
State Parliament could be given a 21st-century makeover and be physically connected to the city for $70 million, according to a high-level 2011 Government report that has not seen the light of day. The West
Harvey soars to Lib deputy
Liza Harvey is the first woman to hold the deputy leadership of the WA Liberal Party after she was elected unopposed by her colleagues. The West
Growers back CBH directors
WA grain growers have delivered a resounding vote of confidence in the CBH board by re-electing three sitting directors despite intense criticism from former chairmen and a push to corporatise Australia’s biggest co-operative. The West
Nickel West adapts ‘to stay viable’
BHP Billiton’s Nickel West has revived underground mining at its Perseverance operation and will pull back at Mt Keith in a rejig of WA operations amid 12-year low nickel prices. The West
Media shakeup: extra points for local TV news
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is close to achieving a breakthrough with the Nationals on local content in regional television that relies on a ‘‘points system’’ to guarantee production of authentic local stories, paving the way for long delayed changes to media ownership rules. The Fin
Ball in Ferrovial’s court: CEO
Broadspectrum remains open to talks with Ferrovial if the Spanish infrastructure returns with a higher takeover offer, chief executive Graeme Hunt said after the contractor trebled its first half net profit to $25.1 million. The Fin
States brace for car jobs wipeout
The manufacturing states are silently bleeding thousands of car industry jobs, sparking demands for the Turnbull government to provide urgent pre-election aid to supply chain companies. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is close to achieving a breakthrough with the Nationals on local content in regional television that relies on a ‘‘points system’’ to guarantee production of authentic local stories, paving the way for long delayed changes to media ownership rules.
Momentum is growing for the construction of a nuclear waste facility in Australia to store and dispose of spent nuclear fuel rods and other waste from around the world in a project which would deliver $257 billion in revenue with signs of a bipartisan approach from the major federal political parties on the issue.
Page 3: Small investors risk being locked out of the digital revolution, thanks to a government proposal to limit access to a 20 per cent tax offset for early-stage, start-up investments, to so-called sophisticated investors.
Page 8: The Australian Taxation Office spent a total of $7.8 million on advertising, media planning and market research in 2014-15, most of which was focused on improving its perception among small business and individuals.
Page 11: Rising women in the medical and scientific research sector will be mentored by banking executives in an attempt to grow the number of female leaders to reach their potential.
Page 15: Myer has taken on more casual workers so it can better match staff numbers with shopper demand in an overhaul it says has improved customer service.
Page 17: Broadspectrum remains open to talks with Ferrovial if the Spanish infrastructure returns with a higher takeover offer, chief executive Graeme Hunt said after the contractor trebled its first half net profit to $25.1 million.
James Packer’s wretched pre-GFC foray into the US casino market has again come back to haunt him, with the Australian Taxation Office demanding Crown Resorts pay a $362 million tax bill relating to its failed Cannery casinos business.
Page 19: Insurance Australia Group is planning to establish an investment fund to buy stakes in emerging growth companies, as new chief executive Peter Harmer seeks to accelerate product development and modernise technology platforms.
Page 23: A robot called Tess and an hour-long board presentation on blockchain are Westpac’s latest weapons in the war against obsolescence.
Page 24: A start-up which claims to have unique technology for bed mattresses has been financially backed by Australian cricket captain Steve Smith before a $5 million fundraising round.
The Australian
Page 1: Australian workers face the prospect of paying the greatest tax as a share of the economy for at least 40 years without fundamental reforms in the next four years to ease the growing burden on personal incomes.
Page 2: The corporate executive at the head of Japan’s submarine bid has warned of the “risk” in retro-fitting a nuclear submarine with a diesel engine as proposed by the French bid, and that scaling up a smaller design would create technical “challenges”.
Page 4: The manufacturing states are silently bleeding thousands of car industry jobs, sparking demands for the Turnbull government to provide urgent pre-election aid to supply chain companies.
Page 7: A joint operation has busted open an elaborate drug cartel shipping the party drug ice into Australia from China in push-up bras, making the largest seizure of liquid methylamphetamine in the country’s history.
Page 21: Free-to-air networks Seven and Ten have both achieved sales growth at the expense of long-time rival Nine, whose market share hit its lowest level in four years.
Australia’s biggest brewer, Lion, which is also one of the biggest food and beverage suppliers to the $90 billion grocery sector, is yet to see the recent upward trend in consumer confidence translate into higher spending and has posted a 5.6 per cent decline in full-year sales to $4.709 billion.
The West Australian
Page 1: State Parliament could be given a 21st-century makeover and be physically connected to the city for $70 million, according to a high-level 2011 Government report that has not seen the light of day.
Page 3: Jacob’s Ladder — the concrete staircase beloved by Perth’s exercise enthusiasts — will be closed for a safety survey from next week.
Page 6: Liza Harvey is the first woman to hold the deputy leadership of the WA Liberal Party after she was elected unopposed by her colleagues.
Page 7: Community organisations have revealed plans to save $12 billion from the Federal Budget bottom line — and pump half of the cash back into services.
Page 11: Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has denied a $145,000 taxpayer-funded bill for entertaining foreign diplomats on a jaunt to WA was extravagant.
Page 12: The country’s biggest petrol retailers have been told to explain their unreasonably high petrol prices, but the competition watchdog has no power to force them lower.
Page 14: Racing Minister Colin Holt wants the TAB sold — or the privatisation of the betting agency taken off the table altogether — by State election next year.
Business: BHP Billiton’s Nickel West has revived underground mining at its Perseverance operation and will pull back at Mt Keith in a rejig of WA operations amid 12-year low nickel prices.
Lucapa Diamond Company has raised hopes the discovery of the biggest and most valuable gemstone in Angola’s history, a 404-carat, high-quality sparkler worth more than $US20 million ($27.9 million), will help it find the kimberlite source.
Resources clients are exploiting tight market conditions to squeeze contractors over payment claims, AusGroup chairman Stuart Kenny says.
WA grain growers have delivered a resounding vote of confidence in the CBH board by re-electing three sitting directors despite intense criticism from former chairmen and a push to corporatise Australia’s biggest co-operative.
Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Minderoo Group has lost another senior executive with Aaron Hood leaving to join private equity fund EMR Capital.
Indonesian billionaire Anthoni Salim is set to secure control of the vexed Windimurra vanadium project after convincing creditors, including noteholders owed $US335 million ($467.5 million), of his buyout plan.