The big banks will be slugged an extra $640 million under a future Labor government to pay for a new ‘‘fairness’’ fund to give consumers a better chance to fight back against financial institutions. The Fin
BlueScope faces investor pressure over foreign iron ore
BlueScope is set to join BHP in facing pressure from industry super funds over their plans to import iron ore from Brazil rather than Western Australia, as Labor and the unions step up their attacks over the impact on seafarer workers. The Fin
Retirees need $60K-a-year
The rising cost of essentials including food, fuel, holidays and medical expenses has pushed up the amount of money Australians need to live a comfortable retirement.
Page The West
Big brands flee unsafe YouTube
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Coca-Cola, Optus, Woolworths and the Australian government have joined a global line-up of high-profile brands to freeze their advertising deals with You-Tube after the Google-owned video site was found to be facilitating soft-core paedophilia rings in comment threads. The Fin
Teachers walk away from low pay and 60-hour week
Teachers are calling for better pay, relief from burgeoning administrative tasks, greater autonomy in the classroom and support for their own wellbeing, as a federal inquiry prepares to grapple with how to stop people leaving the job in droves. The Aus
Dividends to hit record $84b
Commodity producers and companies with excess franking credits will help push total dividend payouts to a record $84 billion this financial year, but the figure may prove hard to beat in the future. The Fin
Barrick may bid for Newmont
Canada’s Barrick Gold said it considered making an all-stock bid for US rival Newmont Mining, a deal that would create a monolith in the global gold sector and likely push smaller peers to start buying each other. The Fin
Mega-funds ‘to drive M&A deals’
The number of Australian superannuation funds has been predicted to halve and the larger cashedup “mega” funds are likely become the driving force of corporate activity as they take larger direct investments in Australian companies. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: The Morrison government will take the climate change fight to Labor today – and try to shore up some of its own seats – by pledging up to $3.5 billion in carbon abatement and other environmental measures, including a $2 billion extension to the Abbott government’s emissions reduction fund.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Coca-Cola, Optus, Woolworths and the Australian government have joined a global line-up of high-profile brands to freeze their advertising deals with You-Tube after the Google-owned video site was found to be facilitating soft-core paedophilia rings in comment threads.
The big banks will be slugged an extra $640 million under a future Labor government to pay for a new ‘‘fairness’’ fund to give consumers a better chance to fight back against financial institutions.
Page 3: The federal government’s move to cut power prices through the partial regulation of tariffs may backfire, with many household and business customers likely to see higher bills and the likelihood of mass confusion even if the changes can be put in place by the July 1 target, industry sources warn.
Page 5: Labor will target lawyers, accountants and real estate agents under tough new anti-money laundering laws, amid growing concerns over illegal ‘‘hot money’’ from China artificially inflating the property market.
Page 8: Trade and Investment Minister Simon Birmingham says delays clearing Australian coal through northern China ports have almost doubled to 40 days, but he rejected ‘‘conspiracy theories’’ that Beijing was deliberately punishing coal companies as political retribution.
Page 9: BlueScope is set to join BHP in facing pressure from industry super funds over their plans to import iron ore from Brazil rather than Western Australia, as Labor and the unions step up their attacks over the impact on seafarer workers.
Federal government IT procurement rules face a shakeup if Labor wins the May election, including the introduction of measures designed to rein in the poaching of experienced public servants by private contractors.
Page 10: British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a cabinet walkout, a parliamentary rebellion or both as she desperately tries to stitch up a viable Brexit deal over the next few days before a potentially make-or-break showdown with her Parliament on Wednesday (early Thursday AEDT).
Page 13: Companies in the sights of environmental pressure group Climate Action 100+ such as Qantas, Woolworths and Santos say they are taking steps to reduce their emissions and improve reporting on the risks to their businesses from climate change.
Page 18: The chief executive of QANTM Intellectual Property says he is ‘‘not feeling the love’’ towards the country’s biggest IP firm, despite his rival counterpart pushing hard for a merger.
Page 21: Commodity producers and companies with excess franking credits will help push total dividend payouts to a record $84 billion this financial year, but the figure may prove hard to beat in the future.
Page 22: Canada’s Barrick Gold said it considered making an all-stock bid for US rival Newmont Mining, a deal that would create a monolith in the global gold sector and likely push smaller peers to start buying each other.
The Australian
Page 1: Scott Morrison will deliver a $2 billion boost for projects to lower carbon emissions, positioning the Coalition as offering “practical” climate change solutions that help farmers and create jobs while avoiding the “economy-wrecking” policies of Labor.
Page 2: The ombudsman appointed to rectify the Rudd government’s VET Fee Help scandal has identified an additional 5340 students who may be eligible to have an estimated $82.8 million in debts wiped as a result of legislation passed by the government late last year.
Teachers are calling for better pay, relief from burgeoning administrative tasks, greater autonomy in the classroom and support for their own wellbeing, as a federal inquiry prepares to grapple with how to stop people leaving the job in droves.
Coalminers have urged calm in dealing with a slowdown in coal imports at five Chinese ports, as the Morrison government declared Australian coal was still reaching destinations in China.
Page 3: The Catholic Church must refashion its future if it is to survive a “most spectacular own goal” and the collapse in community trust prompted by sex abuse scandals, according to one of its most senior Australian leaders.
Page 17: The number of Australian superannuation funds has been predicted to halve and the larger cashed up “mega” funds are likely become the driving force of corporate activity as they take larger direct investments in Australian companies.
Page 18: McDonald’s is looking to raise at least $1 billion from Australian debt investors as it joins the growing number of international corporates turning to the domestic bond market.
Packaging billionaire Anthony Pratt has challenged the agricultural sector to take a reality check on the amount of money it is spending on new technology, warning that it risks being left in America’s wake if it does not urgently increase investment in agtech.
The West Australian
Page 3: The Anzac Day dawn service at Villers-Bretonneux at the Federal Government’s new multimillion-dollar memorial on the outskirts of the northern French village has been axed.
Page 4: Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter gave his former State Liberal colleague Joe Francis a plum six-figure-salary job with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal after the Barnett government minister lent him a “complimentary” campaign bus.
Page 5: Curtin Liberal preselection hopefuls have less than a week to step forward for the prized seat, as the party moves to an election footing.
Page 7: WA schoolkids are being taught how to strike by professional activists at the headquarters of militant unions.
Page 8: Truly Sense Media will today start scouting locations for their action comedy drama, Pilbara: A Grand Adventure, which will tell the story of a Chinese man’s rise as a mining tycoon in the North West.
Page 10: Two senior Rebels bikies and two of their associates are behind bars after police raids allegedly uncovered drugs, guns and cash as part of a crackdown on the State’s biggest outlaw motorcycle gang.
Page 11: The rising cost of essentials including food, fuel, holidays and medical expenses has pushed up the amount of money Australians need to live a comfortable retirement.
Page 18: Waiting times at most metropolitan hospital emergency departments are getting worse as the State Government is criticised for ignoring warning signs that the system is “failing” and leading to more deaths.
Business: Documents obtained by the Kalgoorlie Miner under Freedom of Information laws show at least two workers at Eastern Goldfields’ Davyhurst gold mine filed compensation claims for reported injuries as of January last year — at least one of which was accepted as compensable.
Co-operative Bulk Handling’s purchase of the Bergalla property near Muchea last year has proved an excellent investment for grain growers — potentially appreciating sixfold — according to chairman Wally Newman.
