Abbott's hip-pocket pitch to voters, business
In is federal budget response last night, Tony Abbott has announced nearly $5bn a year in savings to keep the tax breaks linked to Labor's carbon price and "reserved the right" as an emergency measure to implement all of Labor's budget cuts, including the axed baby bonus – but he will allow voters to keep the carbon tax compensation despite the prospect of lower energy prices. The Aus
Wesfarmers eyes cash payout
Wesfarmers is facing increasing pressure to return its growing stockpile of cash, estimated to be as much as $3.6bn, to investors. The Aus
Don't take miners for granted: Rinehart
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has warned that the industry is saving Australia from a Greece-like debt crisis. She says miners and other resources sectors are not ATMs. The Fin
Brockman tries a new tack on rail access
Brockman Mining has tried a initiated new action using the WA railways access code to break the deadlock over use of Fortescue Metals Group’s rail infrastructure. The West
Barnett splashes cash to staff
The Barnett Government has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars of post-election pay rises to its political staffers. The pay rises are between $15,000 and $84,000. The West
Top Resources Headlines
Don’t take miners for granted: Rinehart
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has warned that the industry is saving Australia from a Greece-like debt crisis. She says miners and other resources sectors are not ATMs. The Fin
Brockman tries a new tack on rail access
Brockman Mining has tried a initiated new action using the WA railways access code to break the deadlock over use of Fortescue Metals Group’s rail infrastructure. The West
Top Politics Headlines
Abbott’s hip-pocket pitch to voters, business
Tony Abbott has announced nearly $5bn a year in savings to keep the tax breaks linked to Labor's carbon price and "reserved the right" as an emergency measure to implement all of Labor's budget cuts, including the axed baby bonus – but he will allow voters to keep the carbon tax compensation despite the prospect of lower energy prices. The Aus
Barnett splashes cash to staff.
The Barnett Government has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars of post-election pay rises to its political staffers. The pay rises are between $15,000 and $84,000. The West
Budget test from new office
The Labor government’s budget will be the first test of the new Parliamentary Budget office. The Fin
The West Australian
Page 1: Suspension notices to pre-primary children have doubled since 2011; Drowning mystery of devoted couple near Coral Bay.
Page 3: Barnett splashes cash to staff. The Barnett Government has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars of post-election pay rises to its political staffers. The pay rises are between $15,000 and $84,000.
Page 4: Tony Abbott promises to keep Labor’s budget tax and pension increases, funded through $5bn in cuts, but he will dump the carbon tax; Colin Barnett signals opposition referendum on Local Government recognition.
Page 5: State super fund GESB quits investment in tobacco shares.
Page 6:Former Prime Minister John Howard empathises with WA over its diminishing GST share. Building subcontractor John Pichugin has laid off 10 subcontractors after failing to receive payments due for work on the Kiara fire station.
Page 7: The builder responsible for upgrading units at Rottnest Island in 2006, Michael Callan, has been accused in the Coroner’s Court of failing to supervise or check the work adequately.
Page 14: Live cattle exports hit again after investigators found issues in Kuwait and Egypt.
Business: Brockman Mining has initiated new action using the WA railways access code to break the deadlock over use of Fortescue Metals Group’s rail infrastructure.
Bullish directors of gold companies are sitting on paper losses of 100s of millions of dollars after the precious metal’s price drops.
Bankwest media buying agency will Ikon Communications will boost its staff in WA and transfer the work to Perth.
Transport Minister Troy Buswell has raised the prospect of transferring port assets to private companies.
WA Nationals leader Brenson Grylls is confident he can deliver key elements of a $300m farm policy.
Proposed Pilbara port at Anketell has received the green light from federal environmental authorities.
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: Abbott to keep Labor tax cuts; Brockman pushes to access FMG rail; Gina Rinehart says stop taking miners for granted.
Page 3: The baking industry starts action to recover $90m of assets appropriated by a research body.
Page 5: The Labor government’s budget will be the first test of the new Parliamentary Budget office.
Page 7: Handouts target key marginal seats.
Page 9: Grylls warns of weaker WA resources revenue.
The Australian
Page 1: Tony Abbott has announced nearly $5bn a year in savings to keep the tax breaks linked to Labor's carbon price and "reserved the right" as an emergency measure to implement all of Labor's budget cuts, including the axed baby bonus – but he will allow voters to keep the carbon tax compensation despite the prospect of lower energy prices; Business leader Don Argus warns Australia’s huge debt burden to dooming the nation to slower growth; Sackings loom as naval shipyards brace for loss of work; Foreign aid cuts aimed at countries that voted for Australia’s UN Security Council seat.
Page 2: Federal MP Craig Thomson has landed NSW ALP secretary Sam Dastyari in a bind, with the Coalition requesting an investigation into an alleged offer to exit parliament with his entitlements without contesting the seat against his old party; Clive Palmer has signed former rugby star Glenn Lazarus for his new party’s Senate ticket.
Page 3: Graziers in Queensland remain in a stand-off with federal authorities over the use of national parks to feed starving cattle; ASIC arrests businessman Andrew Sigalla on charges that he funnelled $6m to his own interests from a manufacturing business he ran; WA education minister Peter Collier apologies for ‘liking’ a Facebook page that had a photo of a boy exposing his genitals.
Page 4-5: Budget Wrap-up: Labor challenges Abbott to reveal ciuts, savings plan; Bush schools to receive bigger share of funding increase.
World: US President Barack Obama has forced the resignation of his acting tax commissioner over the inappropriate targeting of conservative political groups.
Business: Wesfarmers is facing increasing pressure to return its growing stockpile of cash, estimated to be as much as $3.6bn, to investors.
Telstra is developing plans to air popular TV series soon after they are broadcast in the US.
Xstrata cornered by tax office for loading local dent in a $19bn Canadian acquisition.
Macquarie in brawl with ATO over low-tax offshore banking.
Coal, gas won’t fall off a cliff in terms of prices according to industry experts.
Great wall of debt a risk for China: S&P.
BHP sells interests in Guinea aluminium.
Central Australian Phosphate shares fall after Monument Mining quit takeover.
Smaller harvest hurts GrainCorp.
Brockman seeks test of state rail access code.
Growing row of Gunns failed MIS arrangements.
UGL leads plunge in mining contractors.
Offshore selling hammers miners.
The Age
Page 1: If elected, Tony Abbott will scrap the carbon tax but keep benefits put in place to ease its impact, the opposition leader said in his budget reply speech. Indian women have the most interventions during their pregnancies, according to research of differences in births between ethnic groups.
Page 2: Principals may be able to fire under-performing teachers under a proposal from the state's productivity adviser. The adviser may also be soon left without work. The government and opposition have rejected a call to open off-shore detention centres for inspection by the Human Rights Commissioner.
Page 3: Melbourne artist Vincent Fantauzzo's portrait of girlfriend Asher Keddie has won the Archibald Prize's People's Choice Award. The state government has backed away from plans to end a suicide prevention program for students.
World: US President Barrack Obama has sacked the acting tax commissioner following a series of controversies.
Finance: Five years after the GFC, a Commonwealth Bank executive says there is light at the end of the tunnel for institutional stockbroking.
The Sydney Morning Herald:
Page 1: Sydney rail timetables will include an extra 700 services, but trains will skip certain stations. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has used his budget reply speech to promise to honour the government's tax cuts, pension rises and family payments, and support some Labor-backed budget cuts, if elected.
Page 2: Former NSW mining minister Ian Macdonald has appeared before the corruption watchdog to deny he "gifted" a mining exploration licence to a "mate".
Page 3: James Packer has unveiled a design for his proposed Barangaroo tower that includes 80 luxury apartments.
World: US President Barack Obama has sacked his acting tax commissioner and released more than 100 pages of emails relating to the attack in Benghazi in September in which four Americans were killed.
Business: The Commonwealth Bank executive leading his company's push into institutional stockbroking, Ian Saines, says the market could be set for a recovery.
The Daily Telegraph:
Page 1: Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has dangled a $4 billion carrot in front of voters in his budget reply speech. Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne has been named Blues fullback for Origin I next month.
Page 4: Former NSW mining minister Ian Macdonald has rejected claims before the corruption watchdog he acted "in disgrace" when he granted a mining exploration licence to a group of entrepreneurs including John Maitland.
Page 5: A former tech company director, Andrew Sigalla, allegedly spent some of the $6.1 million he embezzled repaying debts to bookie Tom Waterhouse.
World: At least six people are dead after tornadoes struck North Texas.
Business: Retailer Gerry Harvey says the government is guilty of "not doing the retail sector any favours" after it scrapped the baby bonus.
Sport: A record 26 positive drug tests were recorded against AFL players last year - a 333 per cent increase.
Herald Sun:
Page 1: Premier Denis Napthine has said a decision to award underworld figure Mick Gatto a licence to run boxing matches was out of step with community expectations. Tony Abbott said Australians will get cheaper energy and tax cuts under a coalition government in his budget reply speech. Three Indian cricket players have been accused of spot-fixing a Twenty20 match.
Page 2: A coroner has refused to release details of how a dying man's 000 calls were handled.
Page 3: Principals should be given the power to grade teachers and sack those who aren't performing, under recommendations by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission. A conference has been told children raised by two-parent families do best in school. Eddie McGuire has been awarded an honorary doctorate by RMIT.
World: Two of the women imprisoned in a Cleveland house for a decade suffered severe malnutrition and multiple injuries.
Finance: The price of iron ore has slumped to its lowest level this year.
