WA should pay east coast bills: Greens – The West; Leighton faces write-down on Gorgon jetty – The Fin; Fair Work laws blamed for lost days – The Aus; Yields, prices curb profits – The West; Rinehart among world's top 30 richest – The West
WA should pay east coast bills: Greens
The Australian Greens have demanded Treasurer Wayne Swan extract more tax from WA to prop up struggling Eastern States economies. The West
Leighton faces write-down on Gorgon jetty
Construction group Leighton Holdings, still struggling to restore investor confidence after nearly $1 billion of write-downs last year and a corruption investigation into its Iraq operations, faces new write-downs on a $1.05 billion contract to deliver a jetty for Western Australia's $43 billion Gorgon gas project. The Fin
Fair Work laws blamed for lost days
The number of working days lost to industrial disputes has almost doubled in the past 12 months, with business and industry sheeting home the blame to the bargaining provisions in Labor’s Fair Work laws. The Aus
Yields, prices curb profits
Celebrations over WA's bin-busting grain harvest may be short-lived, as economists warn lower yields and softer wheat prices could crimp growers' profits this year. The West
Rinehart among world's top 30 richest
WA mining magnate Gina Rinehart is among the world's 30 richest people, according to the latest Forbes rich list. The West
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN:
Page 3: WA mining magnate Gina Rinehart is among the world's 30 richest people, according to the latest Forbes rich list.
Premier Colin Barnett will order independent reviews of the DEC and FESA handling of two bushfires that hit Margaret River and Nannup last November – but the reports could be kept private.
Page 6: The Australian Greens have demanded Treasurer Wayne Swan extract more tax from WA to prop up struggling Eastern States economies.
WA is bolstering the national jobs market according to new figures that show non-mining parts of the country dumping workers.
Page 7: Low-lying parts of Perth are dangerously susceptible to storm surges and the Esplanade train station would have been flooded if cyclone Bianca had hit the city as predicted last year, a leading tsunami expert has warned.
Page 9: The High Court will decide today whether to grant Gina Rinehart special leave to appeal against the discharging of suppression orders over her family's legal dispute.
Page 11: Opposition Leader Mark McGowan began the 12 month countdown to the election by returning to an area of personal success yesterday, promising to go further with liquor reforms which he began as a minister in 2006.
Page 13: Australian buyers will be the first in the world to be offered the new model Apple iPad when it goes on sale next Friday.
Page 14: The delayed opening of Perth Arena has thrown the next National Basketball League season into chaos, with the Perth Wildcats forced to play away for the first six weeks.
Business: Celebrations over WA's bin-busting grain harvest may be short-lived, as economists warn lower yields and softer wheat prices could crimp growers' profits this year.
A truck driving shift that runs during school hours is helping address the chronic labour shortage gripping the resources sector.
Apex Minerals' new board of directors could come under fire from shareholders for approving a $1.3 million payout for departing chief executive Mark Ashley.
Another multi-million dollar legal battle has erupted against the Chinese contractor building the $US6.1 billion Sino Iron magnetite project in the Pilbara.
There are fears of a return to the industrial chaos of previous decades after the number of working days lost to strikes in Australia nearly doubled last year.
Etihad Airways chief executive James Hogan says he is yet to start any discussions with alliance partner Virgin Australia about buying an equity stake in the airline.
Australia's corporate cop has fined BC Iron $66,000 for alleged breaches of the continuous disclosure laws during last year's on-off $345 million takeover talks between the WA iron ore miner and Hong Kong suitor Regent Pacific.
Resources companies received a record $190 billion in revenue from mineral and energy exports last year, underlining the riches flowing into corporate coffers from the China-led boom.
Stockmarket operator ASX Ltd is flexing its muscle, pushing through price rises for services such as listings as it seeks to offset falling revenues from lower trading volumes and price cuts following the arrival of competitor Chi-X.
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW:
Page 1: Prominent businessman David Gonski has emerged as a leading candidate to chair Australia's $73 billion Future Fund, with the federal cabinet set to consider the appointment in the next few days.
The number of working days lost to industrial disputes almost doubled in 2011, the most since 2004.
Treasurer Wayne Swan is facing another battle with the mining industry as the company considers scrapping lucrative tax benefits to fund a multi-billion dollar tax break to help struggling small businesses.
Page 3: Construction group Leighton Holdings, still struggling to restore investor confidence after nearly $1 billion of write-downs last year and a corruption investigation into its Iraq operations, faces new write-downs on a $1.05 billion contract to deliver a jetty for Western Australia's $43 billion Gorgon gas project.
Page 6: The militant union leader anointed to lead the Australian Council of Trade Unions has nominated job security as his priority when he takes the top job in May.
Page 8: The nations most populous states have shed almost 65,000 jobs in the past 12 months while employment in resource-rich areas has jumped more than 83,000 as the diverging fortunes of an economy undergoing wrenching change become increasingly stark.
Page 19: Woolworths is hoping to salvage a $500 million deal to buy more than 30 hotels from the Laundy, Waugh and de Angelis groups after the competition regulator raised concerns about the impact on competition in the take-away liquor market.
Page 24: Miner Gina Rinehart is the highest ranking Australian on the global billionaires list, coming in at number 29 on the Forbes ranking of the world's richest people.
THE AUSTRALIAN:
Page 1: Incoming ACTU secretary Dave Oliver has vowed to pressure Labor for increased union bargaining rights while mobilising unions in a campaign offensive aimed at stopping Tony Abbott winning power at next year’s federal election.
Defence has delivered a stunning vote of no confidence in Australia’s naval shipbuilding industry by asking a Spanish company to help build its third air warfare destroyer, in a move that will cost local shipyards hundreds of jobs and at least $40 million in lost revenue.
Governments are squandering billions of dollars on ‘‘uneconomic’’ wind farms, according to a landmark study that undermines the case for Labor’s huge renewable energy subsidies.
Page 4: Senior government ministers have failed to keep up with Australia’s rivals in having high-level engagement with China on crucial economic and strategic matters, the former ambassador to Beijing has warned.
The Australian economy is generating jobs at a much slower pace than population growth, suggesting the jobless rate will continue to rise in coming months, adding to the case for a further interest rate cut from the Reserve Bank.
The ACTU is calling for award changes to lift the pay and conditions of apprentices, as well as the standardisation of public holiday wages for those who work irregular hours.
The number of working days lost to industrial disputes has almost doubled in the past 12 months, with business and industry sheeting home the blame to the bargaining provisions in Labor’s Fair Work laws.
Page 5: Australian mining tycoon Gina Rinehart has charged up the Forbes annual world’s billionaires list, moving from 100th place last year to 29th in the 2012 list.
Page 7: Freelance musicians and actors who work for a variety of employers should have the same long-service leave entitlements as full-time employees, says federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten.
Business: Australia risks a cycle of higher insurance premiums from higher reinsurance costs, clouding the earnings outlook for listed insurers unless better flood mitigation measures are adopted.
An Australian government-backed agency has been drawn into the Iraqi bribery affair allegedly involving Leighton Holdings.
The federal government’s chief commodities watcher has confirmed the boom that has split the nation continued to gather strength last year, with the value of mining and energy resources exports surging 15 per cent to a record $190 billion.
The competition regulator has raised concerns over the impact of a number of hotel purchases planned by retail giant Woolworths, saying they could reduce competition for packaged alcohol sales in local markets.
US companies are keen for Australia and other countries to finalise negotiations this year on the Trans-Pacific Partnership regional trade agreement to help boost trade with Asia, a vice president of the US Chamber of Commerce said yesterday.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD:
Page 1: Business warns there will be a $3 billion-a-year hole in the budget when the carbon tax floats in 2015 and revenue falls.
Page 2: Planning minister will consider a proposal for a state or Sydney wide levy on ratepayers to raise funding for parks, libraries and community facilities in new suburbs.
Page 3: Taxpayers could foot a yearly multimillion-dollar bill from penalties incurred by the state's electricity generators under Premier Barry O'Farrell's privatisation plans.
World: China will introduce new legislation to allow police to hold dissidents in criminal detention, a practice often already performed at the fringes of the law.
Business: New legislation on foreign ownership in Indonesia may bring billions of dollars worth of projects under local control.
Sport: Penrith player Clint Newton says NRL players should stop complaining and focus on the game, after the Canberra Raiders complained about Storm tackles.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:
Page 1: NRL considering introducing a coach or captain challenge system to challenge referee decisions.
Page 2: Women are becoming more at risk of homelessness than men, reports by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show.
Page 3: State government considering selling five Sydney CBD train stations to the private sector for an overhaul.
World: Mitt Romney has all but won the Republican presidential candidate campaign.
Business: Future of the Ford Falcon in doubt after another month of poor sales. Poor job figures have resulted in economists tipping an interest rate cut.
Sport: NRL considering introducing a coach or captain challenge system to challenge referee decisions.
THE AGE:
Page 1: One of AFL football's most exciting talents is in police custody after allegedly being involved in a machete attack in Alice Springs.
Page 3: Defence Minister Stephen Smith, under fire over his handling of the Skype affair, has been thrown a lifeline by the leaking of an inquiry document that reveals strong criticism of a senior defence official involved in the case.
World: Mitt Romney's campaign team has appealed to his rivals to quit the Republican presidential race, claiming it is near impossible for them to catch him and that by staying in they are boosting Barack Obama's re-election chances.
Business: Australian resources companies are scrambling to interpret new foreign ownership rules in Indonesia, which threaten to bring billions of dollars worth of projects under Indonesian control.
Sport: Sport may be the only way young men like Liam Jurrah can avoid the death and despair of remote Aboriginal communities.
THE HERALD SUN:
Page 1: The Melbourne Football Club was desperately trying to get star forward Liam Jurrah away from an Aboriginal tribal war in central Australia before his dramatic arrest.
Page 2: A big rail tunnel system from Ringwood to the city's north and Hawthorn is among three new options to boost train services to Melbourne's east.
Page 3: Lives could be at risk and up to 400 homes and businesses could be flooded if levee banks fail in the waterlogged town of Nathalia.
Page 4: The Country Fire Authority has committed for the first time to a medical inquiry into a suspected cancer cluster at its main training college.
World: Prince Harry has shown off his prowess on the firing range and proved he is a top marksman.
Business: The prospect of an interest rate cut in the coming months has jumped after official figures revealed the economy shed thousands of jobs in February.
Sport: Barry Hall has turned his back on a million dollar boxing career as the battler he was meant to fight accuses him of chickening out.