Rudd dampens leadership frenzy – The Fin; Woodside revisits Timor – The West; China's $2.2bn Extract play – The Aus; Apache circles WA gas wagon – The Fin; Pilbara rental scheme to go ahead – The Aus
Rudd dampens leadership frenzy
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has moved to defuse frenzied speculation that he is preparing to try and reclaim the Labor leadership soon, telling key MPs he is “not a candidate”. The Fin
Woodside revisits Timor
Woodside Petroleum has opened the door on East Timor's biggest resource project, with the company agreeing to revisit the concept of processing gas from the Greater Sunrise gas field on East Timorese soil. The West
China's $2.2bn Extract play
China's Guangdong Nuclear Power is set to launch a takeover bid for London-listed Kalahari Minerals, in a move expected to result in a $2.2 billion offer for Perth-based uranium company Extract Resources. The Aus
Apache circles WA gas wagon
US oil explorer Apache Energy has confirmed ambitions to participate in the expansion of Chevron's $29 billion Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia but will not know until later next year whether its Zola gas discovery will be big enough to feed into the export venture. The Fin
Pilbara rental scheme to go ahead
Hundreds of new, affordable rental homes are expected to be built in the Pilbara and Kimberley after investment group Questus won approval for developers to tap in to lucrative federal tax subsidies to build 920 low-cost dwellings in the north. The Aus
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN:
Page 1: More than 35 people are on the run from Australian immigration detention centres as police warn that many major immigration camps are not up to the job of holding high-risk detainees.
Page 5: Labor MP John Quigley has apologised publicly to his former partner Darryl Wookey for defaming her in 2009.
Page 9: Gardens, parks and ovals throughout Perth could be watered with treated sewage under desperate plans to keep the city green.
Page 11: Qantas, Virgin Blue and other domestic airlines will voluntarily pay the carbon tax after lobbying to be included in the scheme.
Page 12: A northern suburbs light rail route could need houses, businesses and parks resumed for several of the 11 planned stations, a confidential government planning document says.
Page 17: Almost 1000 “affordable” homes will be built in the Pilbara, the nation's dearest place to live.
Page 19: Colin Barnett's promise to limit government spending has taken another hit with revelations ministerial staff numbers have increased 17 per cent since early 2009.
Business: Woodside Petroleum has opened the door on East Timor's biggest resource project, with the company agreeing to revisit the concept of processing gas from the Greater Sunrise gas field on East Timorese soil.
The governments of France, Belgium and Luxembourg said last night that they had approved a plan for the future of embattled bank Dexia, which would include the three countries becoming part-owners of the bank.
Foreign companies are private equity players are circling not only miners and explorers but the companies that service them, an Ernst & Young transactions adviser says.
Investors in listed real estate investment trusts face being forced to shoulder the burden of another round of capital raisings as $7 billion in debt falls due this financial year.
Rio Tinto's Zimbabwean subsidiary Murowa Diamonds has ceded 51 per cent of its equity to comply with a new law giving indigenous Zimbabweans majority shares in foreign companies, a newspaper has reported.
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW:
Page 1: Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has moved to defuse frenzied speculation that he is preparing to try and reclaim the Labor leadership soon, telling key MPs he is “not a candidate”.
The chief architect of a new regime on superannuation has challenged the $1.4 trillion sector to strike a better balance between profit-making and providing secure income for Australia's ageing population.
Unemployment in the year to August erupted across the nation's professional inner city suburbs, while “sea change” regions along the coast and in the hinterland were being squeezed between collapsing incomes for self-funded retirees and a stagnant tourism sector.
Page 3: At $186 billion, the unpaid tax bill of the socialite wife of fallen fertiliser tycoon Pankaj Oswal is one of the biggest personal tax debts in Australia's corporate history.
Insolvency experts have warned that the galloping rate of company collapses poses a threat to jobs.
Page 4: Unemployment probably held at a 10-month high in September as turmoil on global financial markets prompted companies to delay hiring staff, figures released this week are forecast to show.
Page 5: Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has urged West Australian Nationals MP and crossbencher Tony Crook to support legislation backing the revival of the government's Malaysian people swap deal, in an effort to secure a purely symbolic victory.
Page 7: Foreign workers are “plugging an ever-widening hole” in the Australian economy as skills shortages worsen in resources-rich Western Australia and in NSW, says a report released today.
Page 10: Investors are set to publicly shame companies that have paid massive bonuses in the face of poor shareholder returns under new government reforms to be unleashed in coming days.
Page 14: Investors need to be convince that higher gold prices can be sustained before there is broad improvement in the performance of gold equities, according to Newcrest Mining chief executive Greg Robinson.
Page 15: US oil explorer Apache Energy has confirmed ambitions to participate in the expansion of Chevron's $29 billion Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia but will not know until later next year whether its Zola gas discovery will be big enough to feed into the export venture.
Page 17: Mining companies have defended their use of fly in, fly out (FIFO) workers as a parliamentary inquiry into the practice gets under way.
Page 48: Perth property fund manager Questus will develop more than $400 million worth of affordable housing in north-west Australia with the help of the federal government's national rental affordability scheme.
THE AUSTRALIAN:
Page 1: Nationals MP Tony Crook will be the subject of furious last-minute lobbying as Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott seek to secure the West Australian’s support for this week’s crucial migration vote.
A major steel producer now cutting 1000 jobs should be blaming itself for striking a highly unusual, archaic and costly workplace agreement that gave far too much control to key unions, according to several independent industrial relations experts.
Page 2: Treasury has warned that Australians risk higher taxes and steeper prices if Canberra goes too far in protecting manufacturers from global competition.
Page 3: The competition watchdog is on a collision course with the Productivity Commission over a push for tighter regulation of airports to prevent them using their monopoly power to gouge the public and airlines.
Qantas was last night preparing for its worst day of industrial action yet, as the airline issued national ads blaming unions for flight delays and cancellations predicted to hit 11,000 passengers.
Page 8: The MP reportedly running the numbers for Kevin Rudd has urged Labor to treat the Greens as the political enemy and ignore those who believe the minor party’s preferences are critical to the ALP’s survival.
Page 9: Coalminers have launched a last ditch attack on the carbon tax, releasing detailed modelling showing 15 black coalmines in NSW and six in Queensland could close prematurely, despite the government’s $1.3 billion coal industry compensation package.
Hundreds of new, affordable rental homes are expected to be built in the Pilbara and Kimberley after investment group Questus won approval for developers to tap in to lucrative federal tax subsidies to build 920 low-cost dwellings in the north.
Business: China's Guangdong Nuclear Power is set to launch a takeover bid for London-listed Kalahari Minerals, in a move expected to result in a $2.2 billion offer for Perth-based uranium company Extract Resources.
Overnight talks between France and Germany over a j200 billion ($274bn) eurozone bank bailout are set to be the main focus of Australian markets this morning as investors remain hooked on the European debt crisis.
The residential construction market will come under renewed pressure amid forecasts that housing starts will fall sharply next year.
Wayne Swan has backed the International Monetary Fund’s need for extra resources to bail out indebted nations, as it considers seeking a top-up from members.
Rattled by the global financial uncertainty and the debt crisis in Europe, Australian companies have become more cautious and prefer to preserve capital, according to a survey by Ernst & Young.
The outlook for iron ore demand remains strong, despite weakness in global financial markets and economic tightening measures in China, according to Bellzone Mining finance director Terry Larkin.
Despite uncertainty about the global economy, Western Australia’s resources sector continues to show strong growth with major companies undertaking substantial project expansion, a new report says.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD:
Page 1: With the carbon tax vote looming this week, the Gillard government has revealed airlines want to sign on to the scheme.
Page 2: An employee of a company priding itself on independent environmental consulting - including coal seam gas - has appeared in a glossy TV ad campaign promoting the industry.
Page 3: Licensed clubs have offered public support for a trial of compulsory betting controls for poker machines.
World: British Defence Minister Liam Fox's career is under threat after Prime Minister David Cameron ordered a report into his behaviour.
Business: Investors in real estate investment trusts face being forced to shoulder the burden of a new round of capital increases.
Sport: James O'Connor's penalty kick in the 72nd minute enabled the Wallabies to achieve the most courageous of World Cup quarter-finals victories over the Springboks.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:
Page 1: Sporting heroes and musical prodigies are increasingly taking up elite program offers in Year 12.
Page 2: Parents could be stung for an extra $110 a week for long day childcare under strict new federal rules.
Page 3: Former Howard government ministers Alexander Downer and Santo Santoro have formed a multimillion dollar war chest to fight a snap federal election.
World: British Prime Minister David Cameron has demanded an urgent report into claims Defence Minister Liam Fox allowed a close friend to influence business involving Afghanistan and Libya.
Business: A diving Australian dollar has rubbed some shine from online shopping.
Sport: James O'Connor kicked the Wallabies to a miraculous win over the Springboks.
THE AGE:
Page 1: Austin Hospital executives begged for more resources last year. Brothels operating unchecked despite claims of human trafficking, slavery and organised crime. Wallabies' great defence gets them past Springboks and into RWC semi-final.
Page 2: Licensed clubs offer to trial compulsory poker machine betting controls. Government finetunes carbon price scheme before it is passed in parliament on Wednesday.
Page 3: Artificial hips have high failure rates, Senate committee told. Parking ban on Beach Road on weekends set to stay as cyclists gain upper hand after 12-month trial. Lawyers push for Australian boy to be released from Bali prison while drug allegations are investigated.
World: Libya's interim regime forces seize key highway as they plan final assault on troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.
Business: Woodside Petroleum considers processing gas from the Greater Sunrise gas field on East Timorese soil.
Sport: Great defence and a pressure goal kick from James O'Connor in the dying stages give the Wallabies a gritty win over the Springboks.
THE HERALD SUN:
Page 1: Four hundred police a day are ringing in sick with stress, injuries or illness, according to a Herald Sun investigation. Bring on the All Blacks after Wallabies defy Springboks.
Page 3: Money confiscated from criminals will be used to fund expansion of Neighbour Watch scheme. Damien Oliver pays tribute to his brother at the launch of The Cup.
World: Two Polish men arrested for a spate of bombings across IKEA's European stores.
Business: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says the fight with unions will determine if the airline can survive.
Sport: Garth Tander wins Bathurst by 0.29 seconds in thriller.
THE COURIER MAIL:
Page 1: Wallabies captain James Horwill celebrates with teammates after Sunday's win over South Africa (pic). Plans for a multimillion dollar Surfers paradise nightclub have been crushed after police warned the landlord the venture was a front for bikies laundering cash.
Page 2: Daniel Morcombe's parents will this week seek the release of their son's remains so they can have a funeral as soon as possible.
Page 3: Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman has released a fresh declaration of his financial affairs, including several new additions, after weeks of refusing to do so.
World: Floodwaters are threatening Bangkok, as the death toll from Thailand's worst monsoon rains in decades rose to 253.
Business: Australian shares are likely to open lower on Monday.
Sport: James O'Connor won back the trust of the nation by by banging over a penalty goal with 10 minutes to play in Sunday's victory over South Africa, keeping Australia's World Cup dream alive.
THE ADELAIDE ADVERTISER:
Page 1: Premier Mike Rann has urged the federal government to legalise gay marriage.
Page 3: National automobile clubs want laws to share vehicle information with companies other than their own dealers.
World: Stars and Michael Jackson's family paid tribute to his music, urging fans to focus on that rather than his death.
Business: Australian companies are gearing up for an Asian investment spree.
Sport: Woodville-West Torrens held on in a dramatic final term to win the SANFL grand final.
