Canberra floats WA carrot for Browse gas
WA would be offered a multi-billion dollar slice of federal petroleum taxes if the Woodside-led consortium behind the $40 billion Browse natural gas project formally switched to floating technology. The West
Japan seeks price cuts on Aussie gas
Australia's new wave of massive liquefied natural gas projects may be forced to accept price cuts as the Japanese government mounts a diplomatic and commercial push to end a decades-long pricing formula that forces it to pay the highest gas prices in the world. The Fin
Push to end carbon tax early
Business has stepped up calls for the government to move straight to a floating price on carbon, saying a collapse in the European price highlighted the disadvantage Australian industry faces by paying a fixed price of $23 or more per tonne until 2015. The Fin
Power plan 'risks billions'
The likelihood of taxpayers facing a $10 billion bill for new power plants increased yesterday after the Japanese owners of WA's biggest private power producer warned that the government's merger of state-owned Verve Energy with retailer Synergy could scare off investors. The West
Office market draws Cape Bouvard back
Perth property baron Ralph Sarich's Cape Bouvard Investments has re-entered Australia's office property market after six years on the sidelines. The Fin
Top Resources Headlines
Canberra floats WA carrot for Browse gas
WA would be offered a multi-billion dollar slice of federal petroleum taxes if the Woodside-led consortium behind the $40 billion Browse natural gas project formally switched to floating technology. The West
Japan seeks price cuts on Aussie gas
Australia's new wave of massive liquefied natural gas projects may be forced to accept price cuts as the Japanese government mounts a diplomatic and commercial push to end a decades-long pricing formula that forces it to pay the highest gas prices in the world. The Fin
'Bullion is still the best bet'
Australian gold bulls and private investors have hit back at the biggest two-day price fall since the 1980s, saying the precious metal's safe haven status remains intact as global uncertainty persists. The Fin
Paladin chief blames 'lunatics' for Malawi mine royalty talk
Paladin Energy boss John Borshoff has put to bed rumours it is renegotiating a royalty arrangement for its uranium mine in Malawi, saying the current deal is fair and reports of the renegotiation stem from “lunatics”. The West
New boss to put his stamp on BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is expected to make a major announcement as early as Thursday about its management team and structure, a sign that incoming chief executive Andrew Mackenzie plans to quickly place his stamp on Australia's largest company. The Fin
Top Politics Headlines
Push to end carbon tax early
Business has stepped up calls for the government to move straight to a floating price on carbon, saying a collapse in the European price highlighted the disadvantage Australian industry faces by paying a fixed price of $23 or more per tonne until 2015. The Fin
Power plan 'risks billions'
The likelihood of taxpayers facing a $10 billion bill for new power plants increased yesterday after the Japanese owners of WA's biggest private power producer warned that the government's merger of state-owned Verve Energy with retailer Synergy could scare off investors. The West
PM seeks deal on closing the gap
Julia Gillard will today challenge the states and territories to immediately sign up to a renewed agreement to close the gap in indigenous health, offering an increase in the commonwealth’s contribution over the next three years worth $777 million. The Aus
Hard cap needed on size of government, BCA claims
One of the nation’s most influential business leaders has called for a hard cap on the size of government, declaring that Australians ‘‘cannot rely completely on the state for everything from cradle to grave’’ and may have to fund themselves more. The Aus
Top Property Headlines
Office market draws Cape Bouvard back
Perth property baron Ralph Sarich's Cape Bouvard Investments has re-entered Australia's office property market after six years on the sidelines. The Fin
Police probe land sales
Rural property investor Michael King has taken the stand in a car fraud case as he faces a probe into an elaborate property scheme targeting cash stricken farmers. The West
Corporate space demand slides
Office vacancy is rising and rents are under pressure in most markets across Australia as private and public sector tenants scale back their spatial needs. The Fin
Confidence in the sector at a new high
Sentiment in Australia's property industry has hit an 18-month high, buoyed by increased confidence in the housing market and the Reserve Bank's continued low interest rate settings. The Fin
The West Australian
Page 1: WA would be offered a multi-billion dollar slice of federal petroleum taxes if the Woodside-led consortium behind the $40 billion Browse natural gas project formally switched to floating technology.
Page 3: A prospective tenant was horrified to realise there was a dead body in the bedroom of a West Perth unit during a home open on Monday.
Page 11: Militant construction unionist Joe McDonald has rejoined the Labor Party six years after Kevin Rudd had kicked him out.
Page 13: A new report has countered serious allegations of fraud and maladministration at Mandurah's major hospital.
Page 14: Desperate eastern Wheatbelt farmers have blasted Colin Barnett after he ruled out financial relief and said some should walk off the land.
Page 17: Rural property investor Michael King has taken the stand in a car fraud case as he faces a probe into an elaborate property scheme targeting cash stricken farmers.
Some WA children are up to four years behind in their education, according to the federal government, as it continues to press Colin Barnett to drop his opposition to Julia Gillard's school funding overhaul.
Business: The likelihood of taxpayers facing a $10 billion bill for new power plants increased yesterday after the Japanese owners of WA's biggest private power producer warned that the government's merger of state-owned Verve Energy with retailer Synergy could scare off investors.
Ausdrill founder and managing director Ron Sayers may shelve plans to step down from the mining services provider next year if his share incentive plan is still underwater.
Gold sales from the Perth Mint, which refines nearly all of the nation's bullion, have surged after this week's price plunge to a two-year low.
Atlas Iron shares were hammered again yesterday, despite managing director Ken Brinsden talking up its first quarter cash flow and the prospect of iron ore prices staying high over the medium term.
Paladin Energy boss John Borshoff has put to bed rumours it is renegotiating a royalty arrangement for its uranium mine in Malawi, saying the current deal is fair and reports of the renegotiation stem from “lunatics”.
An incoming government will resist pressure from farmers and some sections of industry to scrap controversial legislation blamed for crippling the live export trade.
Drilling is set to resume at Royal Dutch Shell's controversial well near the Ningaloo Reef following lengthy repairs to the rig.
Leading advertising and marketing group Marketforce says it has put a period of restructuring behind it after laying off about a quarter of its workforce last year to cope with a protracted media industry downturn and lost clients.
Electrical and homewares retailer Harvey Norman has achieved sales growth for the first time in 18 months despite continuing to struggle to sell enough televisions and computers.
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Business has stepped up calls for the government to move straight to a floating price on carbon, saying a collapse in the European price highlighted the disadvantage Australian industry faces by paying a fixed price of $23 or more per tonne until 2015.
Australia's new wave of massive liquefied natural gas projects may be forced to accept price cuts as the Japanese government mounts a diplomatic and commercial push to end a decades-long pricing formula that forces it to pay the highest gas prices in the world.
BHP Billiton is expected to make a major announcement as early as Thursday about its management team and structure, a sign that incoming chief executive Andrew Mackenzie plans to quickly place his stamp on Australia's largest company.
Page 3: The federal opposition remains committed to its paid parental leave scheme but is reassessing changes to company tax that would be linked to funding for the policy.
Page 5: Australia is close to clinching free-trade deal will Japan, its second biggest trading partner, after progress in talks on giving farmers better access to its agricultural markets.
Treasurer Wayne Swan has criticised the world's biggest developed economies for shackling global growth through what he calls “mindless fiscal austerity”.
Page 8: Labor will ignore business concerns about industrial relations laws and push ahead with changes that boost workers' rights and unions' rights to request flexible hours, consult over every roster change, refer claims of bullying to the industrial umpire and strengthen right-of-entry provisions.
Page 12: Troubled national broadband network contractor Syntheo will face public questioning on delays and construction issues for the first time when it appears before the parliamentary committee overseeing the project on Friday.
The Greens have criticised major resource companies for pulling out of a hearing into the Gillard government's new coal seam gas regulations after the companies complained about the lack of consultation about the changes.
Page 13: An Abbott government would look to forge and ambitious three-way trade and security pact with Asia's rising powers, India and Indonesia.
Page 21: Australian gold bulls and private investors have hit back at the biggest two-day price fall since the 1980s, saying the precious metal's safe haven status remains intact as global uncertainty persists.
Page 22: Atlas Iron chief Ken Brinsden virtually admitted yesterday that it makes most sense for Atlas to use Fortescue Metals Group's Pilbara railway, rather than for Aurizon to build one from scratch.
Page 23: Mining services companies Ausdrill and Emeco have downgraded earnings as project delays, dwindling commodity prices and increased competition hit profits, casting doubts over the health of the sector.
Harvey Norman is winding back expensive financial support to franchisees and repairing its battered franchise margins after posting the first quarterly sales growth in 18 months.
Page 37: Perth property baron Ralph Sarich's Cape Bouvard Investments has re-entered Australia's office property market after six years on the sidelines.
Office vacancy is rising and rents are under pressure in most markets across Australia as private and public sector tenants scale back their spatial needs.
Page 42: Sentiment in Australia's property industry has hit an 18-month high, buoyed by increased confidence in the housing market and the Reserve Bank's continued low interest rate settings.
Page 45: Efforts by the West Australian government to improve the management of its office accommodation have been hindered by a lack of comprehensive data, a new report said.
The Australian
Page 1: Australia would become a food ‘‘superpower’’, capitalising on a $2 trillion export opportunity in Asia, under sweeping industry regulation and tax reforms that will be put to a global food forum today.
A price collapse in the world’s biggest carbon market threatens to punch a $10 billion revenue hole in the Gillard government’s budget forward estimates and has reignited business calls less than five months before the federal election for Labor’s carbon pricing scheme to be scrapped.
Page 2: Julia Gillard will today challenge the states and territories to immediately sign up to a renewed agreement to close the gap in indigenous health, offering an increase in the commonwealth’s contribution over the next three years worth $777 million.
The federal government’s new school funding model was criticised yesterday as being fundamentally flawed for failing to take account of students’ family backgrounds in calculating the base amount of money allocated to every pupil.
Page 4: One of the nation’s most influential business leaders has called for a hard cap on the size of government, declaring that Australians ‘‘cannot rely completely on the state for everything from cradle to grave’’ and may have to fund themselves more.
Major budget reforms have hit a legal logjam, as the Gillard government struggles to legislate its promises, prompting complaints that the delays are fuelling uncertainty and distorting business decisions.
Wayne Swan believes the major advanced economies are relying too heavily on their central banks to lift their economies out of what is now a five-year slump.
Unions have criticised elements of the Gillard government’s proposed changes to the federal workplace laws, including the inability of workers to appeal when an employer rejects a bid for flexible working hours.
Page 6: Australian governments need to relax laws restricting charitable donations or risk losing philanthropic dollars from an increasingly wealthy population.
Militant construction industry unionist Joe McDonald has rejoined the Australian Labor Party, almost six years after then opposition leader Kevin Rudd kicked him out during the 2007 federal election campaign for boasting about beating charges of trespassing on a building site.
Business: The chairman of the free-to-air television industry’s lobby group, Jeffrey Browne, has told board members he is resigning following claims the Nine Entertainment managing director was putting the interests of his network before other members.
Telstra shares hit a five-year high yesterday as investors flocked to high-yield stocks in the telco and banking sectors to protect against dramatic sell-offs in resources stocks.
Resources leader BHP Billiton plans to pull out all stops to meet full-year production guidance for its key profit spinners, iron ore and oil, after weaker-than-expected output in the March quarter.
Murray Goulburn chief executive Gary Helou insists the milk processing co-operative can make a decent return on its private-label contract with Coles supermarkets, despite the rest of the industry struggling to break even.
Atlas Iron head Ken Brinsden has used the miner’s strong operational cashflow to hit back at the market for its ‘‘disconnect’’ with the sector on its negative outlook for iron ore.
Building products group James Hardie’s headaches over leaky buildings in New Zealand grew sharply yesterday with the launch of an action by the New Zealand Ministry of Education over what the company admits are ‘‘several thousand’’ water-affected school buildings.
The plunging gold price is claiming victims, with mining contractor Ausdrill sounding a profit warning that sent its share price tumbling yesterday.
Civil construction contractors face a bleak outlook due to falling profit margins, as an increasing number of projects are cancelled and infrastructure spending remains depressed.
Things are looking up for the discretionary retail sector after furniture and electrical chain Harvey Norman posted its first increase in quarterly sales from its Australian business for almost two years.
The Daily Telegraph
Page 1: Black Caviar has been retired after winning 25 races in a row.
Page 2: Luke Nolan pictured on Black Caviar at her 25th win at the TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Page 3: The names of the three people killed in the Boston bombings have been released.
World: North Korea has said it will not be returning to the negotiating table with the US.
Business: The headwinds look set to stay for Australia's big miners after the IMF cut its 2013 China growth forecast.
Sport: Black Caviar's run of wins has captured the hearts of Australians.
The Sydney Morning Herald
Page 1: Black Caviar has retired after 25 consecutive race wins. NSW is safer than it has been for two decades according to new crime statistics.
Page 2: A court has ordered a Jehovah's Witness to undergo a potentially life saving procedure. A coronial inquest has started into the death of a Sydney contract killer.
Page 3: The federal government has warned Queensland it is dragging its heels on royal succession changes.
World: US authorities are turning to the possibility that the Boston bomber was a home-grown terrorist.
Business: Retailer Harvey Norman has recorded its first quarterly sales growth in two years.
Sport: After 25 wins in 25 starts the career of Black Caviar is over.
The Herald Sun
Page 1: Black Caviar, Australia's unbeaten champion, has retired on top of the world. Personal stories have emerged of the three people killed by pressure cooker bombs at the Boston marathon, as US authorities vowed to go to the ends of the earth to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Page 2/3: Pressure cookers stuffed with explosives, nails and ball bearings, and concealed in black nylon backpacks, were used to kill and maim at the Boston marathon.
World: A powerful earthquake in Iran hit hundreds of homes in Pakistan, killing more than 30 people in a remote community close to the desert border.
Business: The world's most influential economic group has cut its growth forecast for China as the headwinds for Australia's mining sector intensify.
Sport: Perfect end: Black Caviar was paraded at Caulfield as trainer Peter Moody declared the unbeaten champion had run her last race.
The Age
Page 1: Victoria's 42,000 state school teachers have won a pay rise of between 16.1 per cent and 20.5 per cent over three years after an epic 18-month battle with the state government.
Page 2: The way we see the world is increasingly mediated through screen's computer, phone, tablet. This steady pixellation of life as we know it has fascinated Japanese artist Kohei Nawa, whose glittering, taxidermied work PixCell-Red Deer has been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria. Victorians can have no confidence the proposed multi billion-dollar tunnel connecting the Eastern Freeway to CityLink is the most effective and economical option for managing congestion, according to a new auditor-general's report.
Page 3: It takes one minute or less for inspectors from the state's consumer watchdog to investigate a rooming house, says an auditor-general's report that found that the state's consumer protection staff were poorly trained and unaware of procedures and guidelines.
World: Someone's friend, neighbour or co-worker concealed bombs in two heavy, dark bags and placed them near the Boston marathon finish line, authorities said, as early investigations turned to the possibility of a home-grown terrorist.
