Today's Business Headlines

Miners warn of 'racist innuendo'

Julia Gillard’s concessions to unions over skilled migration in the mining sector have inflamed xenophobic sentiments, sparking business warnings of potential damage to Australia’s relations with its Asian trading partners. The Aus

Labor's China foodbowl plan

The federal government is seeking billions in Chinese investment to open up land for farming in northern Australia in a plan designed to help feed China's 1.3 billion citizens, which could reshape the global food market. The Fin

Australia's competitive edge lost

Australia plummeted 10 spots in a world ranking of international competitiveness in two years, driven by skills shortages, industrial action, red tape and increases in the dollar. The Fin

Hancock fights ASIC order

Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting is fighting an order from the corporate watchdog to lodge financial statements on the grounds they would reveal the operating costs at its Hope Downs iron ore joint venture in the Pilbara and reduce its negotiating power. The West

Porter trims stadium luxuries

Treasurer Christian Porter has crushed the Premier's grand dreams for Burswood stadium, saying luxury extras such as barbecues or a retractable roof would be scrapped if they threaten the project's $700 million budget. The West

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN:

Page 1: Independent MP Janet Woolard and her cardiologist husband could be forced to reveal how much financial support they have given their son Luke after boat crash victim Kate Campbell brought fresh legal action against him.

Page 6: Health Minister Kim Hames has dumped an election promise for a new wing at Royal Perth Hospital as figures show a rapidly mounting strain on the WA health system.

State power generator Verve Energy has been sent back to the drawing board after complaining it would have trouble meeting the state government's savings drive.

Page 7: Treasurer Christian Porter has crushed the Premier's grand dreams for Burswood stadium, saying luxury extras such as barbecues or a retractable roof would be scrapped if they threaten the project's $700 million budget.

Page 9: The national art industry has hit rock bottom, with three leading Perth galleries set to close and investors abandoning the market as the federal government tightens its superannuation rules.

Page 10: Nationals leader Brendon Grylls has warned eastern states job snobs they risk missing the good life of WA is they ignore opportunities in the mining boom.

Julia Gillard has warned mining chiefs her government will not retreat from demanding bigger returns from Australia's resources wealth, bluntly telling them: “You don't own the minerals”.

Page 14: The Reserve Bank is under fresh pressure to deliver a big interest rate cut next week, with new figures highlighting the struggles of the retail sector and heavy dependence of the country on WA's mining sector.

Career-changers will start teaching in WA schools next term after just six weeks of intensive training, triggering criticism from the teachers' union that unqualified teachers would be put in charge of children.

Business: Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting is fighting an order from the corporate watchdog to lodge financial statements on the grounds they would reveal the operating costs at its Hope Downs iron ore joint venture in the Pilbara and reduce its negotiating power.

Labour and maintenance provider Programmed is eyeing unfinished work at some of the sites serviced by collapsed engineering company Hastie Group.

Vanadium producer Atlantic says it remains confidence executive chairman Michael Minosora will subscribe for $10 million of shares, despite the embattled company's share price having more than halved over the past three months.

Wesfarmers' Target department store chain expects to book up to $40 million in restructuring costs this year as chief executive Dene Rogers focuses on a revamp of its supply chain as a key plank of a four year turnaround plan,

Empire Oil & Gas managing director Craig Marshall says its company transforming Gingin gas development remains on track despite the company missing a self-imposed deadline to finalise the purchase of the land where the processing plant is to be built.

Premier Colin Barnett has heaped pressure on the administrators trying to offload the $1.2 billion Bluewaters power station, saying he expects state-owned utilities to hold the line and not pay more for electricity from the plant.

A planned incentive payment to Xstrata chief executive Mick Davis at the completion of the agreed takeover by Glencore International may present a hurdle for the deal, according to broking firm Jefferies Group.

THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW:

Page 1: The federal government is seeking billions in Chinese investment to open up land for farming in northern Australia in a plan designed to help feed China's 1.3 billion citizens, which could reshape the global food market.

Australia plummeted 10 spots in a world ranking of international competitiveness in two years, driven by skills shortages, industrial action, red tape and increases in the dollar.

Page 5: Pressure is increasing on the central bank to extend the most aggressive interest rate cuts since the global financial crisis after reports showed retail sales unexpectedly fell and construction work dropped everywhere except in Western Australia.

Page 7: Fair Work Australia will hand down its decision on the annual minimum wage review tomorrow against a gloomy backdrop of spending in the important retail sector.

A controversial construction industry watchdog will cease to exist on Friday amid worries about the pipeline of commercial construction work and job losses after the collapse of several big builders.

Page 10: The Queensland and West Australian governments have no plans to sell any more electricity assets, despite NSW's major power sale.

Page 12: Resources Minister Martin Ferguson is hopeful the government will not impose any more taxes on the mining industry, and warned against unsustainably high wage increases that are not offset by productivity gains.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has sought to smooth differences with the mining sector, highlighting her government's agenda to lift productivity and maintain the nation's competitive edge.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told the mining industry that a guest worker program for big projects was the one thing the Labor government has done to help the industry.

Page 23: Wesfarmers has defended its $20 billion acquisition of Coles Group and more than $6 billion of capital spending, saying it expects to achieve satisfactory returns on its investments as retail and coal earnings improve and properties are sold.

Page 25: BHP Billiton's board appears to have pushed the time frame out to the last possible moment to decide on a $US20 billion expansion of the Olympic Dam copper-uranium mine.

Page 28: Wesfarmers will today seek orders from Fair Work Australia to prevent employees from taking industrial action at its flagship Curragh coking coal mine in Queensland as it battles to contain rising production costs.

THE AUSTRALIAN:

Page 1: Julia Gillard’s concessions to unions over skilled migration in the mining sector have inflamed xenophobic sentiments, sparking business warnings of potential damage to Australia’s relations with its Asian trading partners.

The divide between the overheated, resource-rich sectors of the economy and those stuck in the slow lane has been laid bare by the latest reports on construction and retail sales.

Foreign cyber-shopping sites are instructing Australian buyers how to take advantage of tax loopholes, by offering fake invoices that fly under Customs’ duty-free radar.

Page 3: One of the architects of Melbourne’s Crown casino complex believes Jeff Kennett would make a ‘‘brilliant’’ chairman of Echo Entertainment, but others say the job would sit ill with his leadership of the Beyondblue depression initiative.

Page 4: The nation’s biggest construction union has launched a massive 37 per cent wage claim against building giant Brookfield Multiplex after losing its bid for a far-reaching job-security clause designed to dictate the pay and conditions of sub-contractors in Queensland.

West Australian local government areas comprise half the top 30 municipalities suffering critical housing shortages, underlining the impact of the mining boom population surge that has cemented the west as the fastest-growing state.

Page 5: Julia Gillard has told mining industry leaders the government will continue with its ‘‘spreading the benefits of the boom’’ policy, as Rio Tinto managing director David Peever warned against the dangers of divisiveness.

Business: Debt-laden Nine Entertainment has emerged as a wildcard potential acquisition target for Telstra, reviving memories of the telco’s failed bid for Kerry Packer’s Publishing & Broadcasting group 12 years ago.

Fairfax Media chairman Roger Corbett is lobbying institutional investors as the embattled media company comes under pressure f rom mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

Coles managing director Ian McLeod has warned that consumer spending is set to remain subdued for some time, prompting the supermarket giant to focus on lowering costs and squeezing returns from its existing stores to drive earnings growth.

Lawyers have been circling the collapsed Hastie Group for more than a year, with a potential investor class action likely.

The Australian sharemarket and federal government are vying to cheer most loudly the news that Beijing is preparing another stimulus package

Origin Energy is testing the water for an equity raising of up to $1 billion as it looks to keep its credit rating in check for the second stage of its $US20bn ($20.5bn) Australia Pacific LNG project.

Speculation that BHP Billiton is trying to offload its huge Yeelirrie uranium deposit in Western Australia has reignited after Premier Colin Barnett told the mining giant it should sell the project as it had not been upfront with the community on its plans.

Business airfares in the Asia-Pacific have cooled and a significant number of companies in the region expect to cut business travel spending in the next 12 months, American Express has warned.

Prospects for a liquefied natural gas plant at James Price Point in Western Australia may have improved but the project could be delayed, as operator Woodside Petroleum flags cheaper construction methods.

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD:

Page 1: NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has backflipped on a promise to keep amateur shooters out of national parks as part of a deal that will allow the state to sell of its electricity generators. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has just one more legal avenue in which to fight extradition to Sweden. Opposition leader Tony Abbott has made a dash to escape from parliament - and a "tainted" vote from crossbench MP Craig Thomson.

Page 2: Indonesian MPs are making moves to force President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to explain why he cut five years from convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby's sentence.

Page 3: Economists say the Reserve Bank should not cut the official cash rate off the back of a predictable fall in retail spending.

World: A human rights group has reported more deaths in Syria as fierce fighting between troops and rebels rages near Damascus and in Homs province.

Business: Wesfarmers - which owns Coles, Kmart and Officeworks - has defended the retailers' promotion of private label goods.

Sport: Blues great Benny Elias wants Origin players to get rock star-sized paychecks.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:

Page 1: Amateur shooters have won the right to hunt in national parks as part of a deal done by the NSW government to allow the sale of the state's electricity generators. Rower Pippa Savage has been kicked off the Olympic team following a furious argument with her crewmates.

Page 2: Leader of the opposition Tony Abbott has made an escape attempt in parliament in a bid to distance himself from crossbench MP Craig Thomson.

Page 3: More than 700,000 NSW people could be struck down with flu this winter even though at-risk groups were being offered free vaccinations.

World: Mitt Romney has clinched the Republican nomination to take on President Barack Obama in US elections but his links to businessman Donald Trump could come back to bite him.

Business: Retail giant Target has unveiled an ambitious `fast fashion' plan to cut delivery times on fashion labels as it takes on international brands like Zara.

Sport: NRL referees coach Bill Harrigan is fighting to save his job as the fallout over a controversial decision to award a try to the Maroons' Greg Inglis continues.

THE AGE:

Page 1: Prime Minister Julia Gillard has bluntly warned the mining industry that mineral resources belong to all Australians and Labor is determined to spread the benefits of the boom to working people. The leader of the opposition and his colleagues all but fall over themselves in a risible rush to escape voting in the House of Representatives.

Page 3: Parents and unions are demanding an investigation of Melbourne's Mowbray College, which is facing closure with debts of $18 million..

World: Fierce fighting between troops and rebels has erupted near Damascus and in Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says, while reporting nine more people killed across Syria.

Business: Wesfarmers remains confident about the momentum of its key Coles, Kmart and Officeworks businesses and has defended the retailers' promotion of private label foods, arguing the cheaper groceries are good for customers.

Sport: Essendon has retained one of its most valuable assets with star big man Paddy Ryder resigning with the club on a four-year deal, ending speculation he could be poached by Greater Western Sydney or return to his native Western Australia.

THE HERALD SUN:

Page 1: A sneaky water tax will take $56 off every Victorian household for environmental projects that don't exist. Thousands of parents could be forced to take a day off work to look after their children after teachers yesterday voted to strike next Thursday in their campaign for better pay. Olympic rower Pippa Savage has declared she will fight for her gold medal dream.

Page 3: The dirty streets of Melbourne are a long way from Hollywood glamour, but we do have our own Greta Garbo, Lindy Lane is just loving life behind the wheel of a 23-tonne, dual drive dump master.

World: Mitt Romney has clinched his Republican Party's White House nomination after winning its Texas primary, in what is shaping up to be a close contest with Barack Obama in November.

Business: Target has unveiled an ambitious plan to slash delivery times for fashion labels as it takes the fight to Zara and other global interlopers.

Sport: Collingwood says it Jon Ralph could blood three more youngsters this year, taking the number of players used to an extraordinary 38 for the season.

THE CANBERRA TIMES:
Page 1: Julian Assange loses British Supreme Court extradition appeal but lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder want the matter revisited. Julia Gillard takes on mining bosses, telling them `you don't own the minerals.'

Page 2: Fairfax journalists strike over NZ production job shift.

Page 3: Six more prisoners have been infected with a serious blood-borne virus at the ACT's jail since December.

World: Hero's welcome for Burma's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Thailand.

Business: Dozens of apprentice electricians caught up in the collapse of the Hastie Group have already found new placements.

Sport: An awkward selection gamble to put sculler Pippa Savage into a team boat has backfired for Rowing Australia two months before the London Olympics. (Rowing)