Morning Headlines

One Nation won’t negotiate on sale of Western Power

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has vowed not to negotiate with West Australian Premier Colin Barnett over his plan to partially sell the state’s electricity distribution network if the Liberal Party is returned to power in this weekend’s state election. The Fin

Retail rebound lifts chance of RBA rate hike

Prospects of a Reserve Bank of Australia rate increase late this year have intensified after a solid rebound in retail sales in January, while job advertisements held close to a five-year high in February. The Fin

AFP joins probe into Rio Guinea scandal

The Australian Federal Police has joined law enforcement agencies around the world in the investigation into Rio Tinto’s Guinea payments scandal. The Fin

18C reform plan hinges on pub test

Malcolm Turnbull is being offered a bold reform on race-hate laws that promises to end a damaging Coalition impasse over restrictions on free speech, raising the bar for complaints about language that “insults” or “offends” people on the basis of race. The Aus

Libs’ Gen Next in danger of wipe-out

While much of the focus courtesy of the downturn in the government’s fortunes according to Newspoll has centred on Malcolm Turnbull’s future, a poor showing at the next election risks wiping out the next generation of leaders. The Aus

Packer adds $50m more to cash pile

Billionaire James Packer is set to continue his grab for cash with the sale of up to $50 million worth of hybrid shares in his casino empire Crown Resorts. The Aus

Power prices ‘will drop if utility sold’

Electricity bills would be lower if Western Power was sold, Australia’s competition chief has declared in a repudiation of Labor and the unions’ anti-privatisation campaign. The West

New government faces warning over promises

The State Treasury is preparing to warn the party that wins Saturday’s election that some of its promises are either unaffordable or cannot be honoured without damaging the Budget. The West

Court win for Forge creditors

A court has freed $53 million for secured creditors of Forge Group, rejecting a Federal Government claim for a portion of the funds. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: Shell-shocked businesses are reassessing investments and jobs after being slugged by huge increases in their electricity bills, driven by the imminent closure of the giant Hazelwood power station combined with hot weather and rising ‘‘green’’ power costs.

Billionaire Anthony Pratt has struck a groundbreaking deal for his private manufacturing giant Visy Industries to raise $150 million in long-term debt from two Australian superannuation funds.

Page 3: Australia should switch its focus towards negotiating large, multilateral free-trade deals but argue for a rule change to stop them being scuppered by a handful of holdout nations, federal Labor says.

Page 4: The government’s uneasy romance with One Nation has started to fray with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and others rounding on Pauline Hanson over her support for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has vowed not to negotiate with West Australian Premier Colin Barnett over his plan to partially sell the state’s electricity distribution network if the Liberal Party is returned to power in this weekend’s state election.

Page 5: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has brushed off Employment Minister Michaelia Cash’s failure to declare a mortgage on a $1.4 million investment property, signalling that her actions are not a hanging crime.

Page 7: Prospects of a Reserve Bank of Australia rate increase late this year have intensified after a solid rebound in retail sales in January, while job advertisements held close to a five-year high in February.

Page 11: The Australian Federal Police has joined law enforcement agencies around the world in the investigation into Rio Tinto’s Guinea payments scandal.

Page 14: Myer is quietly shedding at least 50 jobs by outsourcing its customer contact centre and digital services functions, with more job losses in the wings as the retailer reduces costs to deliver profit growth targets.

The Australian

Page 1: Malcolm Turnbull is being offered a bold reform on race-hate laws that promises to end a damaging Coalition impasse over restrictions on free speech, raising the bar for complaints about language that “insults” or “offends” people on the basis of race.

Public service running costs have surpassed a record 6 per cent of GDP, with efficiencies gained in the first 18 months of the Coalition government being fully reversed.

Page 2: Shoppers returned to the stores in January after the weakest Christmas retail sales since the global financial crisis, but the recovery was mild and doubts remain over the strength of the consumer economy.

Page 3: Auditors have cast doubt on the financial viability of the parent company behind a consortium that has won exclusive negotiating rights with the Queensland government to develop a $3 billion casino and hotel project on the Southport Spit.

Page 4: The Victorian Coalition has backflipped on its support for a moratorium on onshore conventional gas exploration, seeking instead to get the energy industry “moving” in the face of rising gas prices and intense pressure from its federal counterparts.

While much of the focus courtesy of the downturn in the government’s fortunes according to Newspoll has centred on Malcolm Turnbull’s future, a poor showing at the next election risks wiping out the next generation of leaders.

Page 5: Malcolm Turnbull has stepped up his attack on Bill Shorten over cuts to penalty rates as federal cabinet prepares to thrash out a formal position that seeks to soften the impact while backing the case for a boost to jobs.

Pauline Hanson has emphatically ruled out negotiations with a re-elected Barnett government over the part sale of Western Australia’s electricity poles and wires, the Liberal Party’s key election platform, as it seeks to cling to power on Saturday.

Page 19: Queensland Investment Corporation has emerged as a significant player in channelling foreign investment into Australian infrastructure after raising $2.35 billion from a group of 20 investors, including offshore sovereign and pension funds, into the still buoyant market for port, road and utility assets.

Billionaire James Packer is set to continue his grab for cash with the sale of up to $50 million worth of hybrid shares in his casino empire Crown Resorts.

Page 21: Iron ore’s surprising price strength is starting to convince some of the doubters, with analysts upgrading their expectations in another boost for the likes of Fortescue Metals Group, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.

The West Australian

Page 1: Electricity bills would be lower if Western Power was sold, Australia’s competition chief has declared in a repudiation of Labor and the unions’ anti-privatisation campaign.

Page 3: The State Government is considering new laws that would stop the police commissioner from challenging liquor licence applications on the grounds they could push up crime and violence.

Page 4: The State Treasury is preparing to warn the party that wins Saturday’s election that some of its promises are either unaffordable or cannot be honoured without damaging the Budget.

A Senate inquiry dominated by Greens and Labor has recommended that work stop on the controversial Roe 8 project.

Labor has opened a new campaign front, warning West Australians they only have four public holidays left before retail and hospitality workers start to see their penalty rates cut.

Page 6: Another One Nation candidate is set to reject Pauline Hanson’s election preference deal with the Liberal Party.

Colin Barnett believes One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is getting too much attention in the lead-up to Saturday’s election.

Page 14: Scientists have found a way to kill cancer cells by starving them of the fuel they need.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has apologised after forgetting to disclose a loan for a $1.4 million investment property.

Page 16: WA's leading businesses are set to commit today to conducting gender pay equity audits within three years and aiming to remove wage inequality between the sexes within five years.

Page 18: The failure of banks to pass on official credit card rate cuts has cost each customer about $220 — for a total of $3.49 billion.

Page 49: Clive Palmer has again lashed out at CITIC, accusing the Chinese company of spurning his offers to sit down with its Beijing-based chairman and thrash out the myriad disputes between the pair.

As the world’s gas super majors complete 14 high-cost LNG trains to liquefy and ship Australian gas to East Asia, a relative minnow from Subiaco is doing it differently.

A court has freed $53 million for secured creditors of Forge Group, rejecting a Federal Government claim for a portion of the funds.

CIMIC Group has called on the Takeovers Panel to intervene in its hostile bid for Macmahon Holdings, calling for an examination of the contractor’s white knight deal with an Indonesian miner.

Page 50: Labor leader Mark McGowan’s position on WA’s potential uranium mines could be put to the test after Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg approved Vimy Resources’ Mulga Rock uranium project days before the State election.

The frenetic movement in WA’s gold sector is continuing as Saracen Mineral Holdings puts unwanted assets on the market and Dacian Gold puts the buildings blocks in place for the construction of its Mt Morgans operations.

Rio Tinto’s Dampier Salt operation at Port Hedland faces minor disruptions after a bulldozer knocked a salt stacker off its rails.