GE puts power plant on market
General Electric is believed to be fielding approaches from major infrastructure investors interested in buying its $1.2 billion Worsley Alumina power plant, following plans by the conglomerate to float the Western Australian asset on the Australian Securities Exchange. The Aus
Rio moves to outsize Whaleback
Rio Tinto is working on plans to build the biggest single pit iron ore mine in the Pilbara, filing environmental applications for a 70 million tonne-a-year monster at its Yandicoogina operation. The West
Budget too soft: Hockey
Treasurer Joe Hockey believes the May federal budget, which triggered a backlash against the government, was not tough enough and he held Prime Minister Tony Abbott responsible for taking a more cautious approach to appease voters. The Fin
Qantas may pursue split structure
Qantas Airways is considering a split of its domestic and international arms to attract more foreign investment as part of its wide-ranging structural review. The Fin
Mayors split over redrawn boundaries
Page 17: The cities of Cockburn and Kwinana would merge, the City of Armadale expand to include the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the City of Melville would gain some suburbs but lose others under proposed changes that have angered some councils. The West
Antares board survives EGM
Antares Energy chairman and chief executive James Cruickshank says the oil and gas junior will be able to focus on assessing takeover offers and potential asset sales after an attempt to spill the board was voted down on Tuesday. The Fin
PNG project pumps up Oil Search
A big and sustained jump in cash-flow has begun at Oil Search, with the recently started Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas plant doubling second-quarter production and revenue amid signs the $US19 billion ($20bn) plant is on track to be fully operational well before an end-of-year deadline. The Aus
Unis face $850m hit over fees
Universities would have to wear a prohibitive $850 million cost if they insulated incoming 2015 students from looming higher fees, peak group Universities Australia has warned. The Aus
Gordon Martin to pass son his Coogee crown
Succession planning by one of WA’s wealthiest families will see Coogee Chemicals patriarch Gordon Martin step down as chairman next year in favour of son Tim. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Treasurer Joe Hockey believes the May federal budget, which triggered a backlash against the government, was not tough enough and he held Prime Minister Tony Abbott responsible for taking a more cautious approach to appease voters.
Page 3: Awards guaranteeing employment standards for millions of Australian workers are indecipherable for many small businesses and are not even consistent with other legally mandated minimum work conditions, Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says.
Page 4: A new $200 million charitable fund set up by casino billionaire James Packer, and his family and company Crown Resorts, is a chance for the Packer heirs to follow their parents footsteps, his sister Gretel Packer said.
Page 5: The federal government is refusing to back away from its generous paid parental leave scheme despite independent analysis that argues it won’t get more working women to have babies.
Page 6: Australia will make a final push to secure better access for services as part of a comprehensive trade deal with China, Trade Minister Andrew Robb says.
Page 13: Qantas Airways is considering a split of its domestic and international arms to attract more foreign investment as part of its wide-ranging structural review.
Page 15: Shareholders in Oil Search may have to wait until late 2015 before they see a return from the start of the $US19 billion ($20.2 billion) PNG liquefied natural gas export project despite shipments starting in May.
Price discounts for lower-grade iron ores are here to stay according to BHP Billiton marketing president Mike Henry, despite the protestations of smaller miners such as Fortescue Metals Group and Atlas Iron.
Newcrest Mining was aware its massive Lihir gold mine was marginal but repeatedly represented it as being “low cost”, according to a statement of claim filed this week.
Page 18: The boss of Metcash’s $9 billion food and grocery division has warned the aggressive push into financial services by supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths could pose a serious threat to competition much in the same way their petrol shopper dockets squeezed independent retailers before the competition regulator stepped in to rein in the fuel schemes.
Page 19: Antares Energy chairman and chief executive James Cruickshank says the oil and gas junior will be able to focus on assessing takeover offers and potential asset sales after an attempt to spill the board was voted down on Tuesday.
The Australian
Page 1: Indonesia has chosen Joko Widodo, a 53-year-old grass roots reformer uninvolved in national politics until two years ago, as its seventh president.
Page 2: State governments are scrambling to seize billions of dollars of the Abbott government’s promised financial incentives for privatisations.
Kevin Rudd’s former chief of staff, David Epstein, has offered a revealing and critical account of the former prime minister and the then head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Peter Shergold.
Employers have demanded the Abbott government change the workplace laws to prevent unions pursuing “political” claims designed to pass on the cost of federal budget measures from workers to business.
Page 5: Increased risk has slashed $600 million from the value of Santos’s Narrabri coal-seam gas project in the Pilliga state forest.
Page 17: Indian mining giant Adani Group is embarking on a sweeping overhaul of its Australian resources empire as it drafts in investment banks for a potential sell-down of its $2 billion Abbot Point coal port in Queensland.
James Packer’s Melco Crown Asian gaming casino joint venture is broadening the focus of its push to secure a lucrative gaming licence in Japan after the Governor of Tokyo indicated that a multi-billion-dollar resort casino was not a priority for the city.
Page 18: General Electric is believed to be fielding approaches from major infrastructure investors interested in buying its $1.2 billion Worsley Alumina power plant, following plans by the conglomerate to float the Western Australian asset on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Mitsubishi’s new fuel import business in Australia will boost competition in the sector and bolster Australia’s energy security in the wake of oil majors shutting their refineries here.
A big and sustained jump in cash-flow has begun at Oil Search, with the recently started Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas plant doubling second-quarter production and revenue amid signs the $US19 billion ($20bn) plant is on track to be fully operational well before an end-of-year deadline.
Page 23: In the next six years, HSBC forecasts the value of our iron ore exports to rise 54 per cent, coal 41 per cent and liquefied natural gas an enormous 330 per cent as new capacity comes on line.
Page 25: Universities would have to wear a prohibitive $850 million cost if they insulated incoming 2015 students from looming higher fees, peak group Universities Australia has warned.
The West Australian
Page 1: Russia’s hard-nosed Ambassador to the United Nations could not disguise his tears when told of the heartbreaking loss of three WA children aboard MH17.
Page 9: WA public schools need more than $135.7 million to fix rundown facilities and crumbling classrooms, a State Government audit has found.
Page 11: WA arts and indigenous education are set to share some of the spoils after billionaire James Packer’s Crown Resorts unveiled a $200 million national philanthropic fund yesterday.
Page 14: The Abbott Government plans to target individual senators to convince them to dump the mining tax and $17 billion in spending programs attached to it.
Page 17: The cities of Cockburn and Kwinana would merge, the City of Armadale expand to include the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the City of Melville would gain some suburbs but lose others under proposed changes that have angered some councils.
Page 19: The Federal Government says it will pursue its $5.5 billion paid parental leave scheme and has rejected suggestions the money would be better spent on the struggling childcare sector.
Business: Succession planning by one of WA’s wealthiest families will see Coogee Chemicals patriarch Gordon Martin step down as chairman next year in favour of son Tim.
Rio Tinto is working on plans to build the biggest single pit iron ore mine in the Pilbara, filing environmental applications for a 70 million tonne-a-year monster at its Yandicoogina operation.
PwC has edged out junior rival Deloitte in the growth stakes, with its acquisition of Booz & Co and digital investments pushing it to a superior annual result.
A resurgent nickel price and strong production figures combined to make a bumper quarter for Western Areas, with the company back in a net cash position for the first time in 10 years.
NBN Co has continued to lift the veil on the building of its broadband network, releasing three updates on its high-speed service in just one day.