All eyes on Rio Tinto and its $6b payout
Hopes are high that Rio Tinto will extend the iron ore-fuelled dividend bonanza started by BHP and Fortescue Metals, with expectations of a $US4 billion ($6 billion) payout this week, capping its best full-year profit result in eight years and a solid reporting season for mining stocks. The Fin
Ellison challenges iron ore status quo
Chris Ellison-led Mineral Resources is closing in on approvals to build two berths at what is already the world’s biggest bulk export port as it targets a huge boost in Australian iron ore export supply. The Fin
Optus eyes more European football
Optus could look to swoop on more European football rights, eyeing leagues in Germany, Italy and Spain as the local broadcasting contracts run down. The Fin
ALP target a 'business bodyblow'
Australia’s farmers and the $130bn freight industry have demanded Labor make the economic case for its plan to deliver zero net emissions by 2050, warning the policy could put the growth of the key sectors at risk after Anthony Albanese confirmed the target would apply economy-wide. The Aus
Power stability ‘critical’
The rapid influx of wind and solar power needed to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions now poses a ‘‘critical’’ risk to the stability of the power grid and requires rising intervention to keep the lights on, the federal government’s top energy policy adviser warns. The Fin
Packer to feel glare of inquiry
Crown Resorts majority shareholder James Packer has endured blow upon blow for more than three years, a bruising clash with Chinese authorities and at least two aborted deals with suitors. The West
Film and TV distributors tell Google to close ‘back door’ to pirate websites
Chair of Creative Content Australia and the former CEO of Village Roadshow, Graham Burke, has demanded the federal government force Google and other platforms to stop access to pirate content websites, claiming the tech giant is enabling organised crime. The Aus
Tax review for worker share schemes
The federal government will review tax barriers deterring businesses from paying workers employee shares, to lift participation in equity compensation schemes used by some of America’s most successful technology start-ups. The Fin
Alcoa owes $212m taxes, ATO claims
Global aluminium giant Alcoa has become the latest resources company to be hit with a tax bill over pricing of its core products, with the Australian Taxation Office imposing a $212m bill on historic alumina sales. The Aus
Retailers demand rent cuts at malls
The retail sector is pushing back against powerful shopping centre landlords to demand rent cuts at a time when bushfires, the coronavirus and waning consumer confidence is cutting foot traffic in some malls and sending some players to the wall. The Aus
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: The rapid influx of wind and solar power needed to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions now poses a ‘‘critical’’ risk to the stability of the power grid and requires rising intervention to keep the lights on, the federal government’s top energy policy adviser warns.
Page 3: Staff at Deloitte, one of the world’s largest employers of professionals, have complained of a workplace where they are increasingly subjected to ‘‘harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination’’, according to its Asia Pacific chief executive Cindy Hook.
Page 5: Negotiations to extend state and federal subsidies to Victoria’s loss-making Portland aluminium smelter just got more complicated, courtesy of a dispute between the smelter’s owner and the ATO worth almost as much as the current subsidy package.
Page 8: Crown Resorts is facing scrutiny from the corporate regulator over the $1.8 billion deal by Lawrence Ho’s Melco International group last May to buy a 20 per cent stake from James Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings.
Page 9: The federal government will review tax barriers deterring businesses from paying workers employee shares, to lift participation in equity compensation schemes used by some of America’s most successful technology start-ups.
Page 10: Bernie Sanders is on track to clinch a decisive victory in Nevada’s Democratic presidential caucuses, cementing his status as the party’s frontrunner as his main rivals continued to split moderate voters.
Page 11: China says it expects to have the coronavirus outbreak under control by March but fears are growing of a global pandemic after the number of cases doubled in South Korea, Italy reported two deaths and two Middle Eastern countries reported infections.
Page 13: Hopes are high that Rio Tinto will extend the iron ore-fuelled dividend bonanza started by BHP and Fortescue Metals, with expectations of a $US4 billion ($6 billion) payout this week, capping its best full-year profit result in eight years and a solid reporting season for mining stocks.
Page 15: Sonic Healthcare boss Colin Goldschmidt says there are plenty of deals around the globe in laboratories and he is keen to beef up the local radiology business, making use of $1 billion in additional firepower at his disposal.
Optus could look to swoop on more European football rights, eyeing leagues in Germany, Italy and Spain as the local broadcasting contracts run down.
Page 16: Commonwealth Bank warned customers who also use 86400, one of the country’s newest banks, not to allow the start-up to extract data from their CBA account, a move 86400 CEO Robert Bell told a Senate committee was anti-competitive.
Page 17: NAB’s investment in its financial crimes operations is yielding hundreds and thousands of alerts a year, but the bank is still grappling with how much of the data it is generating is useful for its staff and regulators.
Page 18: Chris Ellison-led Mineral Resources is closing in on approvals to build two berths at what is already the world’s biggest bulk export port as it targets a huge boost in Australian iron ore export supply.
Page 19: Embattled Boral chief executive Mike Kane is preparing to slash another 100 jobs from the Australian operations of the building products group over the next few months.
The Australian
Page 1: Australia’s farmers and the $130bn freight industry have demanded Labor make the economic case for its plan to deliver zero net emissions by 2050, warning the policy could put the growth of the key sectors at risk after Anthony Albanese confirmed the target would apply economy-wide.
Page 4: Anthony Albanese has called for a cap on “obscene” political donations following Clive Palmer’s $84m advertising blitz prior to last year’s federal election.
GetUp spent more than 70 per cent of the $12.4m in public donations it raised last year on staff salaries, administration costs and travel, despite telling supporters “every dollar” they gave would be used to build a fairer Australia with spending on billboards, hard-hitting TV ads and rallies.
Page 5: The number of Chinese students beating the coronavirus travel ban by arriving in Australia via third countries is rapidly growing, with nearly 1500 entering the country in two days.
Page 7: Small business has accused rival industry groups of thwarting attempts to simplify the workplace system because they feared losing revenue as companies would no longer need their specialist advice.
Page 17: Three of the world’s biggest fund managers have warned about the dangers of “greenwashing” as more investment groups look to launch funds benchmarking companies according to their compliance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
The retail sector is pushing back against powerful shopping centre landlords to demand rent cuts at a time when bushfires, the coronavirus and waning consumer confidence is cutting foot traffic in some malls and sending some players to the wall.
Page 19: Global aluminium giant Alcoa has become the latest resources company to be hit with a tax bill over pricing of its core products, with the Australian Taxation Office imposing a $212m bill on historic alumina sales.
Page 23: The ABC was subject to more investigations by the media watchdog over a four-year period concerning issues of impartiality, fairness and balance than all commercial networks combined.
Chair of Creative Content Australia and the former CEO of Village Roadshow, Graham Burke, has demanded the federal government force Google and other platforms to stop access to pirate content websites, claiming the tech giant is enabling organised crime.
The West Australian
Page 3: Graduate teachers are leaving university without basic literacy skills, including spelling and grammar, and are needing tutoring to pass the literacy portion of their qualifying exam.
Page 4: The anxiety epidemic in Australian youth will be canvassed by peak bodies in primary education and parenting today, in the first roundtable between the key organisations.
Page 7: A scheme to allow academically gifted Chinese students into a handful of sought after Perth public schools has been put on ice because of the coronavirus.
Page 11: A former bookkeeper accused of helping to defraud WA taxpayers of millions of dollars has been hit with 65 new corruption charges.
Business: Crown Resorts majority shareholder James Packer has endured blow upon blow for more than three years, a bruising clash with Chinese authorities and at least two aborted deals with suitors.
A new industry project aimed at levelling the playing field for women working in STEM-based industries will be appealing to men for their input.
The State Government could explore market intervention to determine a fair farm gate price for milk, provided the majority of farmers support such action.
