THE WEST AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS
StateWest vote was stacked, say dissidents
Opponents of the $120 million merger of Home Building Society and StateWest Credit Society have demanded StateWest re-run a key ballot of members amid allegations of register stacking.
E*Trade head hunts for new stockbroking arm
Online discount trader E*Trade Australia is recruiting staff for a new stockbroking firm expected to open in Perth in the new year.
War over, NAB chief re-signs for the peace
Peace could be on the horizon in National Australia Bank's struggle to regain its reputation, but boss John Stewart says he is not yet ready to pull anchor and sail home to Scotland.
Iron ore tipped to jump 11.5pc as steel mills lock in deliveries
Australia's chief commodities forecaster has tipped an 11.5 per cent price increase for iron ore producers next year driven by the China-led boom in global steel demand.
Mitchell gears for $20m profit
Privately owned trucking company Mitchell Corp Australia is on track to rack up $200 million in revenues and a profit of close to $20 million by 2007 after bulking up in the past financial year.
Five left in chase for Myer as Coles weeds out bidders
Five consortiums have been short-listed for the second round of bidding in the battle for the Myer department stores ahead of tomorrow's financial briefings.
Toll gives ground to win nod on Patrick
Transport giant Toll Holdings has made further rail, road and shipping concessions to the competition watchdog, to win approval for its $4.6 billion takeover offer for Patrick Corp.
GENERAL NEWS
Page 1 - Most say they want food origin labelling
A new survey has revealed that more than four in five West Australians believe State-of-origin food labelling should be compulsory, contradicting claims by State Agriculture Minister Kim Chance that consumers do not want such laws.
Page 1 - Tax cuts will be nip-and-tuck despite bulging State coffers - comment
Treasurer Eric Ripper has no option but to deliver tax cuts in his coming budget in May.
Page 3 - Petrol rip-off just in time for Christmas: watchdog
WA motorists have been ripped off by the five major petrol retailers which bumped up price margins by as much as 100 per cent in the months leading up to Christmas, says Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker.
Page 3 - More marinas for Mandurah
Mandurah is staking its claim to become the State's top boating destination with a planned $50 million foreshore facelift which includes two new marinas to accommodate as many as 1000 future boat moorings.
Page 6 - Confidence booms amid skills fears
WA employers revelling in the State's economic boom have never been more confident about the future, though labour shortages and spiralling wages costs are looming as storm clouds on a bright economic horizon, according to a major business survey.
Page 18 - WA boom in house prices flows inland
The value of houses in WA's inland and coastal towns has surged 30 per cent over the past year as city buyers seek out a country lifestyle and farmers buy up retirement spots on the coast.
Page 18 - Beef prices to fall as Japan ends ban
Australian meat-eaters can look forward to the first fall in beef prices for nearly a decade next year following Japan's decision yesterday to end a two-year ban on beef imports from the US.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Page 1 - Police tracing text messages inciting more violence as two police officers describe saving young men from being murdered by a mob in Cronulla on Sunday.
Page 2 - A full-time police riot squad will become operational in January, too late to deal with an anticipated running battle in Sydney's beachside suburbs in coming weeks.
Page 3 - Sydney's religious, political and community leaders condemn Sunday's violence as a revolting disgrace. Photo sequence of two men set upon by the crowd at Cronulla on Sunday.
Finance - National Australia Bank boss John Stewart will stay on after the completion of the bank's renewal program, after agreeing to a new contract lifting his base pay by $500,000 a year.
THE AUSTRALIAN
Page 1 - Fresh text messages are being circulated promising violent retribution and "war" in Sydney. One of the victims of Sunday's race violence at Cronulla warns retaliatory attacks are inevitable.
Page 2 - Family First senator Steve Fielding was promised tax breaks for families as an incentive to vote for the government's controversial VSU bill. International climate research centres back Australia's push to develop clean-coal technology.
Page 3 - Massive recall of smallgoods ordered in South Australia following an outbreak of listeria bacteria that killed two hospital patients.
Finance - Toll Holdings makes last-minute concessions to the competition regulator in a bid to win approval for hostile $4 billion-plus takeover bid for Patrick.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Page 1 - Riot police last night prepared for escalating violence in Sydney as 600 young men milled in preparation for a brawl. British High Court expected to grant Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks British citizenship.
Page 2 - Independent Review Panel to determine whether Sydney Water properly considers community concerns over the Kurnell desalination plant. Survey finds Australians less attached to religious trappings of Christmas.
Page 3 - Relentless rise of Chinese economy will deliver extra $22 billion to Australia next year through higher prices for resources. Sydney's house price slump choking off home renovation boom.
Finance - News Ltd's chief general counsel admits to Federal Court he lied to Telstra, "possibly" defrauded it and destroyed possible evidence relating to the C7 pay TV case.
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
Page 1 - Major institutional investors tell PM to ease up on excessive regulation on Telstra; News Lts lawyer admits lying over NRL rights bid; Government's chief commodities forecaster raises commodity export earnings by a further 3 per cent because of a stronger outlook for metals prices; Consumers asked to dob in video and DVD counterfeiters.
Page 2 - Index.
Page 3 - Competition tribunal raps Sydney Airport over bid to introduce charges that were technically outside the purview of the competition commission ACCC; Infrastructure fund pioneer Mike Fitzpatrick to take over as chairman of $34 billion Victorian Funds Management Corporation; Cinema industry in major push to woo public to the movies.
World - China promises other Asian countries to manage its economy in the broader interests of the region, and warns relationship with Japan near frozen; World farm leaders call on EU to make biggest cuts to farm subsidies.
Finance - NAB boss latest chief executive on short-term contract as boards seek more control over executive tenure.
THE HERALD SUN
Page 1 - Some of Australia's top gold medal hopes are enduring terror tactics in a military-style boot camp to toughen them up for the Commonwealth Games. Pictures show a fake gun being held to a swimmer's head.
Page 2 - Cronulla's riots mark an explosion of racial tensions and social deprivation that have been building for years.
Page 3 - New text messages inciting further race-related violence are being traced by police in Sydney.
Finance - Toll Holdings has bowed to pressure from the competition watchdog and offered to sell and lease infrastructure worth tens of millions of dollars to have its $4.6 million Patrick takeover bid approved.
THE AGE
Page 1 - Prime Minister John Howard has refused to acknowledge the existence of underlying racism in Australia despite the explosion of racially motivated violence in Sydney.
Page 2 - Police investigating an alleged terror cell in Melbourne have been sifting more than 30,000 hours of secret recordings to build their case, and a court has granted them more time.
Page 3 - A former principal at Victoria's largest private school has broken his silence over his shock departure, saying he wanted to publicly defend his character.
Finance - News Ltd chief general consul Ian Philip told the Federal Court yesterday he had lied to Telstra during major broadcast rights negotiations.
CANBERRA TIMES
Page 1 - Violence has again erupted on Sydney's beachside suburbs with mobs smashing cars and shop windows. Simmering race tensions in beachside suburbs have boiled over fuelled by alcohol, racism and fear. The execution of an Australian in Singapore shows Asia will take a tough stand on drugs, Indonesia's new ambassador to Australia Hamzah Thayeb says. A program to test teens for sexually transmitted infections could be rolled out in the ACT.
Page 2 - A second federal parliament MP's office has been attacked after the passage of the voluntary student unionism bill. The stripping of $400,000 from ACT crime prevention will leave Canberrans feeling less safe, the opposition says. ACT Emergency Services Commissioner Peter Dunn has denied SES volunteers were not given food and safety gear during recent storms.
Page 3 - Sydney's race riots and a push to put Australia at the sidelines of any pan-Asia community could cloud PM John Howard's summit meetings with regional heads in Malaysia. Aboriginal activists have dismissed the replacement of the tent embassy with a cultural centre.
Finance - It is make or break time for Macquarie Bank it its attempt to takeover the London Stock Exchange. National Australia Bank chief executive John Stewart has agreed to a new contract.
ADELAIDE ADVERTISER
Page 1 - Smallgoods company linked to Listeria outbreak in Adelaide with meat products withdrawn from sale.
Page 2 - Schapelle Corby's mum says she is to blame for photos of her daughter with a man arrested in SA on drug charges.
Page 3 - Smoke from the oil depot explosions in London is visible from space sparking pollution and health fears (London).
Finance - SA leads the nation in new ASX listings; Australian Clean Seas Tuna in positive listing on the stock market; Australian share market enjoys a broad-based rally.