Morning Headlines

PM slaps export limit on LNG

The Turnbull government will hit Australia’s largest gas producers with limits on their exports in new measures to avert an east coast gas crisis and ensure there is enough supply to service the domestic market demand. The Fin

WA playing hardball on GST deal for gas pipeline

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says he is willing to play ‘‘hardball’’ with the federal government by demanding a better deal on the GST in exchange for the approvals that would be required from the state for a trans-continental gas pipeline. The Fin

Media companies next in line to feel full force of Amazon’s arrival

The impending arrival of Amazon in Australia has retailers worried, but the e-commerce giant could also create a challenge for traditional media companies, particularly television networks. The Fin

Joyce hit for ABC on Anzac activist

Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has pushed the ABC to take action against Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied, saying her comment calling for people to remember refugees on Anzac Day made it harder to justify the public broadcaster’s funding. The Aus

Telstra admits NBN failings

Telstra has told a client it failed to buy enough capacity from the National Broadband Network to deliver consistently high internet speeds to some West Australian customers. The Aus

Japan Post takes axe to Toll jobs

Toll Holdings is moving quickly to implement the findings of an urgent 100-day strategy review by its new management team that will reduce its operational business units and slash 1700 jobs, most in Australia. The Aus

PathWest to be investigated after wrong man convicted

An innocent man was wrongly convicted of a serious crime after staff at the WA Government’s forensic testing agency bungled a DNA test, allowing the real offender to go unpunished for more than a decade. The West

Day kept in dark over lead findings

Former Barnett government health minister John Day has claimed he was never told about high levels of lead found in a dormant section of water pipe close to the scandal-plagued Perth Children’s Hospital. The West

Dairy pain hits profit at parent Parmalat

Profits at Parmalat Australia, the dairy producer behind WA’s Harvey Fresh, slumped last year as the national industry was gripped by crisis. The West

The Australian Financial Review

Page 1: The Turnbull government will hit Australia’s largest gas producers with limits on their exports in new measures to avert an east coast gas crisis and ensure there is enough supply to service the domestic market demand.

Surging energy costs, including rising gas prices, are pushing the headline inflation rate up faster than wages, imposing a real income squeeze on households just as they scramble to digest record mortgage debt.

Page 2: The embattled plumbing union and its top-ranking officials Earl Setches and former president Tony Murphy have been accused of repeatedly humiliating an indigenous organiser, calling indigenous apprentices ‘‘Abos’’ and ‘‘black fellas’’ and housing them in substandard properties with rats, feral cats, faulty wiring and faulty toilets.

Page 5: West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says he is willing to play ‘‘hardball’’ with the federal government by demanding a better deal on the GST in exchange for the approvals that would be required from the state for a trans-continental gas pipeline.

Page 9: A major shareholder of the world’s largest coal export facility, the Port of Newcastle, has slammed as uncompetitive, costly and a likely sovereign risk the Coalition’s push to provide a $900 million loan to the Adani coal project in north Queensland.

Page 15: BHP Billiton has almost halved its US shale oil and gas holdings during the past five years and flagged two further sales yesterday as the company sharpens its plan for a division that activist investors want spun off.

Page 17: The impending arrival of Amazon in Australia has retailers worried, but the e-commerce giant could also create a challenge for traditional media companies, particularly television networks.

The Australian

Page 1: Malcolm Turnbull will impose tough new restrictions on the country’s gas producers, introducing sweeping powers to block exports unless there are adequate supplies to meet the needs of Australian businesses and consumers.

Page 2: Paul Keating has given “good marks” to US President Donald Trump for moving to build ties with China and Russia.

Page 3: Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has pushed the ABC to take action against Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied, saying her comment calling for people to remember refugees on Anzac Day made it harder to justify the public broadcaster’s funding.

Page 4: Government departments and agencies will for the first time be assigned their proportion of government debt, in a new budget-accounting mechanism designed to expose the need for restraint on non-productive spending, such as the ballooning welfare bill.

Page 5: Telstra has told a client it failed to buy enough capacity from the National Broadband Network to deliver consistently high internet speeds to some West Australian customers.

Page 17: Toll Holdings is moving quickly to implement the findings of an urgent 100-day strategy review by its new management team that will reduce its operational business units and slash 1700 jobs, most in Australia.

Santos and its partners in the $US18.5 billion ($24.7bn) Gladstone liquefied natural gas project are shaping as the biggest casualties of radical new gas export restrictions to be unveiled by Malcolm Turnbull today.

Page 19: The biggest retailers and distributors of Tatts’ products have backed Tabcorp’s bid for the gaming company, warning that a rival offer by a consortium lacks certainty for their members.

The West Australian

Page 1: An innocent man was wrongly convicted of a serious crime after staff at the WA Government’s forensic testing agency bungled a DNA test, allowing the real offender to go unpunished for more than a decade.

Page 4: Australia’s military contribution to the war on terror and North Korea’s brinkmanship will dominate talks between Malcolm Turnbull and Donald Trump in their first meeting next week.

Treasurer Scott Morrison will today declare the national economy has better days ahead while signalling he will use the Budget to borrow money to build necessary infrastructure across the country.

Page 5: Passengers hoping to travel on Qantas’ first direct flight between Perth and London will pay a “very competitive” $2270 for a return economy fare, The West Australian can reveal.

Page 13: Former Barnett government health minister John Day has claimed he was never told about high levels of lead found in a dormant section of water pipe close to the scandal-plagued Perth Children’s Hospital.

Page 16: Premier Mark McGowan says the Eastern States can forget about piping gas across the continent from the west until the Commonwealth improves WA’s GST share.

Page 44: BHP Billiton has cut the top end of its iron ore production guidance after the cyclone season slashed 7.6 million tonnes from March quarter output.

Profits at Parmalat Australia, the dairy producer behind WA’s Harvey Fresh, slumped last year as the national industry was gripped by crisis.

A once-in-a-lifetime migration of LNG production vessels from Korea has begun, with waters off WA the destination.

Page 45: Western Areas is primed to sign its first offtake contracts directly with battery makers as the WA nickel producer looks to lift revenue in volatile commodity markets.

Page 46: New Mines Minister Bill Johnston has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the parent companies of mines, or even their directors, remain responsible for the clean-up after the mines are closed.